It will be the first time that Blues have appeared at Roots Hall in the competition since the visit of Colchester United in February, when a Drewe Broughton-inspired 1-1 draw was enough to secure a passage through the club’s first ever major national final, and unfortunately a 2-0 defeat to perennial Millennium Stadium winners Blackpool.
Of course since that wonderful day in March, when upwards of 16,000 travelled to South Wales to watch the Shrimpers crash to the ‘other’ Seasiders, there has also been the drama of the 5-3 penalty shoot-out win at Layer Road in the first round of this competition against the Auld Enemy. Despite a shocking referee and even worse tactics from the U’s players, the ten men of Southend (and Mark Bentley while he was allowed to ply his trade innocently) prevailed after a 1-1 draw.
That result preserved an exceptional record in the competition over the last five years. Although United have only reached the final once, and the area final as well, losing 4-2 on aggregate with two 2-1 defeats to Brentford in 2001/2, they have not lost in that period of time to a side in an equal or lower division, so the omens for the Salop do not bode well.
Added to that is a fine recent home record in the 2004/5 League Two season. Blues have won their last four matches at the Hall, the best run since the heady days of 1994/5, when the club playing the First Division. The 2-1 win against Northampton Town on Saturday also propelled the club into the play-off positions for the first time in over two seasons, and the glory days seem to, slowly but surely, be returning to Roots Hall.
It is important, of course, that Steve Tilson and his men keep their focus firmly on the Coca-Cola Football League campaign and do not allow good cup runs to get in their way. The LDV again looks as though it is being kind to the Shrimpers, with a series of League One outfits falling at the first hurdle, whilst the euphoria over the FA Cup match against Luton Town, to be shown on SKY television, has yet to die down.
Tilson will be wary that the encounter with Oxford United this Saturday is far more important than any Cup match, but he will also appreciate the value to team morale that victories in such competitions can bring. It was noticeable as Southend struggled against relegation last year just how well they performed around the 3-0 home win over Luton, the 4-0 drubbing of Queens Park Rangers and then that two-legged tie with out Essex rivals.
As a result of this fine balancing line, it is expected that Tilson will hand opportunities to just a few select players in this clash with the Shrews, with whom Blues battled out a 1-1 draw in the rain at Gay Meadow just ten days ago in League Two. Talking to the Southend Evening Echo, the 38-year-old said, “There is a good chance that I will be playing some of the fringe players who haven’t played for a few games”.
The former Brentford loanee and Canvey Island FA Trophy captain added, “I don’t want to reveal who at the moment, but all I will say is that there could well be some changes tonight”. And the Wickford-born manager concluded, “It’s up to us to attack them and that’s what we will do. We want to do well in this competition and get through to the next round”.
The first choice is with goalkeepers – Bristol Rovers are unlikely to have allowed Ryan Clarke permission to be played lest he is Cup-tied for their LDV run, and whilst Bark Griemink has returned to training, it is far more likely that he will continue bench-warming duties whilst Darryl Flahavan plays between the sticks. Clarke, at any rate, is ruled out with a hip problem.
At right-back, Duncan Jupp’s recent poor form allows Tilson, and his assistant Paul Brush, to experiment if they wish. Fresh from claiming a second goal in two matches for the Under-18s, and putting in a solid display for the reserve team at Gillingham last week, Stuart Williams could be handed a first senior start, although another possibility would be to move Lewis Hunt to right-back, where he started his Derby County career.
Left full-back, too, could see a change, and although Che Wilson, giving the penalty away to Eric Sabin apart at the weekend, has been solid enough, an assist from Nicky Nicolau in the second-string could see the former Arsenal youngster return to the fold after a spell on the sidelines.
However, Wilson is eager to put his LDV final nightmare against Blackpool behind him by reaching the latter stages once again. The ex-Bristol Rovers captain, in conversation with the Echo’s Chris Phillips, put the record straight on his display, “It was a wonderful day and to come out of the tunnel to see 20,000 Southend fans there with flags and banners singing away it was very hard to take in”, before confirming many supporters’ thoughts, “It was all a little overwhelming”.
The 25-year-old then said, “It was a fantastic experience, one I know I will never forget and one I will certainly be telling the grandchildren about. It would be superb if we could get there again”. And reiterating his manager’s thoughts, the Ely-born player finished up, “We will always take this competition seriously”.
In the heart of the defence, Spencer Prior had a convenient knock in the lead-up to the Colchester clash in this competition, and after struggling with his hip in recent matches, he may be rested for this one as well. Andy Edwards, who has been frantically attempting to reclaim his place in the side, would then partner Adam Barrett at the back.
Various reports in the national media suggest a return in the centre of midfield for energetic, and talented, midfielder Jay Smith, but those rumours are unlikely to have any foundation. The former Aston Villa man is likely to be given at least two more reserve fixtures before returning to the fray, and the Essex Senior Cup clash against Brentwood Town and Pontin’s Holidays Combination tie with Crawley Town in the space of three days offer the perfect opportunity to see if he has recovered full fitness.
Mark Bentley is set to be awarded a run-out after making an impression in the quarter-of-an-hour that he was on the pitch against the Cobblers. Bentley has been one of the star performers, but has not linked up with club captain Kevin Maher since his suspension for allegedly stamping on Stephen Hunt’s head in the last round of the LDV.
Out wide there are unlikely to be any changes as Mark Gower and Carl Pettefer make up two of the three fit and selectable players for those roles. Michael Husbands is out of favour and trialling at various non-League outfits, principally Forest Green Rovers, and Michael Kightly is on loan at Conference side Farnborough Town. Tilson may decide to swap their flanks, or gift Jimmy Corbett another opportunity to come into the side and allow Gower a well-earned rest.
Up front though, Lawrie Dudfield should be handed his first start since the 1-0 win over Kidderminster Harriers over a month ago. The clash against the U’s was the recorded instant of Dudfield missing a match through the niggling thigh injury that has troubled him since the outset of the 2003/4 campaign. Either Wayne Gray or Freddy Eastwood will make way, with Tesfaye Bramble undergoing a late fitness test on his knee to see if he is able to make his comeback, albeit most likely on the substitutes’ bench.
The Shrews travel to Roots Hall having lifted themselves out of the relegation zone with a 1-0 win at now-bottom Kidderminster Harriers at the weekend. The match featured Ryan Lowe in an unfamiliar striking role, but he is now likely to slot back onto the right-hand side of the midfield despite scoring the game’s only goal.
The reason for that is that ‘sportsmanlike’ Luke Rodgers returns to the side after an all-too-predictable one-match suspension for accumulating five yellow cards in the campaign thus far, with the short and chunky striker always a thorn in Southend’s side. He should be partnered by Duane Darby.
Ex-Southend trialist John McGrath will not be in the squad as he has returned to Doncaster Rovers from his loan spell early, with the Yorkshire outfit deciding that they do not want him Cup-tied. Another former Shrimpers player, Ben Smith, continues to struggle with injury, and he will not make the trip back to southeast Essex either.
Dave Walton has suffered a reaction to his comeback in the second-string last week, and will not be considered, whilst slight knocks to Darren Moss, Darren Tinson and Martyn O’Connor, the experienced player coach, all mean that they are unlikely to be risked. Young defender Henry Goh and Liam Murray are expected to be called into sixteen.
Caretaker manager Chic Bates, talking to www.shrewsburytown.co.uk, said, like his counterpart Tilson, “Tonight’s game is an ideal chance to play one or two of the lads who need first team football, and that’s what I’ll be doing. The likes of Dave Ridler, Jake Sedgemore need a game and they are lads who will come in and won’t let you down”.
Finally, a reminder that tonight’s game will be decided on the night as, from our first round experiences, you already know. A full thirty minutes extra time will be played if the scores are level at ninety minutes, and a penalty shoot-out, which would be just the third in Southend’s competitive history, if the teams remain all square. Golden and silver goals have been abolished.
LIKELY SQUADS
Southend United | Shrewsbury Town | |
4-4-2 Darryl Flahavan Lewis Hunt Nicky Nicolau Andy Edwards Adam Barrett Carl Pettefer Kevin Maher Mark Bentley James Corbett Lawrie Dudfield Wayne Gray --- Bart Griemink Duncan Jupp Mark Gower Che Wilson Freddy Eastwood --- Stuart Williams Nick Morgan | Starting Line-Ups GK DR DL DC DC MR MC MC ML FC FC Substitutes 1 2 3 4 5 Also Available * * | 4-4-2 Scott Howie Jake Sedgemore David Ridler Stuart Whitehead Trevor Challis Ryan Lowe Jamie Tolley Kevin Street Sam Aiston Luke Rodgers Duane Darby --- Joe Hart Peter Grant Liam Murray Dave Edwards David Fox --- Henry Goh |
REFEREE: Keith Hill (Royston, Cambridgeshire)
Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com