Strong Shrimpers shock Posh

Last updated : 01 March 2009 By Shrimpers24
Blues boss Steve Tilson making only one change to the starting line-up against Scunthorpe, Barnard for the injured Laurent, must have been very happy with the final result as his team followed his game plan to perfection.

Young Blackett, making his first start since September, sliced a Franck Moussa cross into his own net after 63 minutes to hand the Shrimpers an advantage they never surrendered.

Darren Ferguson's men needed only six minutes to hit the front when Dean Keates made no mistake from the penalty spot, a very poor decision by the referee but it's what we've come to expect.

However they were pegged back by a sensational Jean Francois Christophe leveller against the run of play in the 24th minute. The Frenchman guided a 15-yard overhead kick into the corner before the visitors' turnaround was completed by that moment for Blackett to forget.

Posh began brightly and it wasn't long before they hit the front with a helping hand from referee Alan Haines.

He pointed to the spot when George Boyd hit the ground under attention from Anthony Grant and Dorian Dervitte. Keates coolly converted from 12 yards before Posh failed to convert plenty of presentable chances to double their advantage.

Craig Mackail-Smith saw one effort blocked by Peter Clarke before scooping a second opportunity over.

The home side were stunned when Southend's first threatening passage of play resulted in Christophe's spectacular equaliser.

Posh still held the upper hand as Lee saw a deflected effort drop agonisingly wide before Tom Williams, back after a ten-week absence following a knee operation, stung the palms of Southend stopper Steve Mildenhall from range.

But an action-packed opening period was followed by a far less dramatic second half during which disaster struck for Blackett.

Then Theo Robinson was only inches from adding a late third for Southend with a blockbuster that ended up on the roof of the net.

All in all, a deserved three points for the Blues and five wins out of six. Play-offs again anyone?

Tilly, not surprisingly, was a very happy manager. Read his post match comments here: www.southendunited.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10444~1573336,00.html

Coca-Cola League One, Saturday, 28th February 2009 @ 15:00; London Road Ground
Click for Peterborough United squad list
Keates 6 (pen)
Christophe 25
Blackett 63 (og)
Click for Southend United squad list
Starting Line-ups
1Lewis 6
3Blackett 5
35Chester 6
2Martin 5
21Williams (Wright 86)6
11Keates 7
6Lee 6
18Whelpdale (Torres 64)5
9McLean 6
10Boyd 6
12Mackail-Smith 5
Substitutes
13McKeown
33Blanchett
22Torres (Whelpdale 64)5
25Green
27Wright (Williams 86)
17Goal Attempts12
8On Target4
9Off Target8
0Hit Woodwork0
1Offsides5
9Corners6
9Fouls12
Starting Line-ups
1Mildenhall 7
15Sankofa 6
4Dervitte 7
5Clarke 8
6Barrett 7
20Christophe 6
8McCormack 7
14Moussa 7
7Grant 6
9Barnard (Francis 88)6
17Robinson (Betsy 90)7
Substitutes
24Joyce
18Herd
2Francis (Barnard 88)
21Betsy (Robinson 90)
30O'Keefe
Referee
A Haines, Tyne & Wear 6
Attendance
7341
Peterborough Cards
Keates31unsporting behaviour
Boyd54unsporting behaviour
Southend Utd. Cards
Christophe56unsporting behaviour