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Six days later and a Friday night fixture at Roots Hall due to the following day's England International at Old Trafford, and on a bitterly fresh winter's night Macclesfield Town, under the leadership of player/manager Peter Keen for the first time were easily dispatched, 3-0, thanks to a Mark Rawle brace, the first coming after just 32 seconds, and another from Tes Bramble. At this stage the Silkmen were in a desperately poor situation at the foot of Division Three.
Back at Roots Hall the following Saturday and the First Round of the FA Cup brought debatably the best match of the season and it was the Rawle and Bramble partnership that came up trumps again, this time it was Rawle with one and Bramble with a pair who saw off Luton Town 3-2, Bramble's superb overhead kick earning victory with only five minutes to spare. Later that evening United were dubbed as 'a side to be avoided in the next round' on BBC's Match of the Day. The next day the draw saw Second Division Chesterfield paired with the Shrimpers in Round Two.
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After the glee of seeing-off hot promotion contenders Luton in the Cup it was back to the real business and a visit to Roots Hall of the League leaders, Plymouth Argyle. Things started off badly, with United's dark navy kit deemed too similar to Argyle's dark green kit. United were forced to change into their white away strip much to the disapproval of supporters, but when the sides met in Devon later in the season this decision was proved to be totally correct. You'll find out just why in a later installment of this feature.
Anyway, Southend were brought back down to earth with a real bump. Unable to break down a stubborn Argyle defence, the Shrimpers found goalscoring chances at a real minimum and it was Steve Adams' remarkably accruate header late in the first half that sent the leaders home with all three points.
November ended on a typically dreary day at Shrewsbury Town's Gay Meadow as United slipped to a seventh straight defeat on their travels, Southend were never at the races as a close range header from Nigel Jemson and a long range Gregor Rioch free kick either side of half time sealed United's fate despite Bramble manging to hit both posts within seconds of each other in what was the visitors only real chance.
Mark Wallis
www.thelittlegazette.com