Sturrock: 'Most frustrating time of my career'; Coleman: 'Not winning would have been an injustice'

Last updated : 06 April 2011 By westfield shrimper
Sturrock: New Shrimpers boss
Sturrock: 'Injuries and tiredness have taken their toll'

Blues boss Paul Sturrock certainly has reasons to be upset after Tuesday evening's fifth away defeat on the trot at the Fraser Eagle Stadium finally put the seal on any play-off dreams, though most would say they've been nightmares since the 2-1 defeat to Tilly's Imps on March 12th.

Luggy now has to replace influential centre-back Bilel Mohsni, again, who this time received a late red card, his second this season, which will at least give him time to heal his broken nose from last weekend!

Sturrock told the Press Association: "It is the most frustrating time of my whole career. In the middle of the season we had a solid settled side but injuries and tiredness have taken their toll and we have had to swap and change the team. We were disjointed in the first half and competent in the second but we gave away some bad goals from a corner and a penalty and we should do better."

Which is why it would have been good to have got some new blood in on loan, as I'm sure Luggy is well aware.

Anyway, with only a few days before the trip to the Potteries and facing the play-off challengers Port Vale the former Plymouth boss has got his work cut out to stop a rapid slide down the table before the season is out.

The official match report: www.southendunited.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10444~52619,00.html

Renewing your season card for 2011/12 or seen enough?
www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/interactive/voting_polls.asp

Coleman: Delighted with the win
Coleman: 'Southend are a good side'

Meanwhile, Stanley boss John Coleman was obviously a far happier manager after seeing his side win for the eighth consequtive time at home and enter the play-off positions for the first time.

Coleman told www.accringtonstanley.co.uk: "I thought we were value for the win for the chances that we made in the game. In the past when we've been leading and missed chances we've always been punished for it. If you go back to the Aldershot game, Jimmy Ryan hit the post at 1-0 and we didn't see it out. We showed a great deal of determination tonight and I'm delighted for the players."

They certainly did well to fight back and take the points when lesser teams would have found it hard to raise their game against a side you've been on the whole outplaying who have just equalised with the match into the last half-hour.

Coleman continued: "I think it would have been an injustice had we not won. I think we were the better side on the night, but Southend are a good side. Don't let anyone kid you that they're not. They posed us problems. Their lad was a bit unfortunate to be sent off, but they are the rules."

Fair enough.

The Stanley view of the game:
www.accringtonstanley.co.uk/index.php/newsy/3992