Sturrock: 'Shrimpers need strengthening in other areas than defence'

Last updated : 18 July 2011 By westfield shrimper

Sturrock: New Shrimpers boss

Sturrock: 'We didn’t take our chances which was a shame'

Blues boss Paul Sturrock was not a happy Luggy after watching his side miss a handful of chances Sunday afternoon that should have seen off Scottish First Division side Raith Rovers but the game finished goalless.

Sturrock told www.echo-news.co.uk: “We didn’t take our chances which was a shame but it was another good work out. We gave the others players in the squad a game and it’s been a successful couple of days for our preparations. But I think it again showed that our opponents are closer to starting their league season than we are but it’s given us plenty to work on.”

And it will not be a surprise to the Shrimpers faithful to hear that Luggy will be stepping up his hunt for another striker, especially with the injuries to last season's top scorer Barry Corr and his own son Blair.

Whether that will be Rohan Ricketts, who didn't stand out in the chances he got over the weekend having been flown up to Scotland at late notice, we will have to wait and see, then again he was substituted in the 58th minute against Raith, and certainly no clue at the moment from  the former Tottenham man who is usually so talkative.

It would certainly seem  enough to see young Welling skipper and defender Jack Parkinson sent back to the Blue Square Bet South club after taking part in the first two pre-season schedule but not joining Ricketts and ex-Plymouth Ryan Leonard on the trek to Scotland.

Echoman Chris Phillips tweeted: '(Sturrock) also said he had been impressed by Jack Parkinson but that we needed strengthening in other areas than defence.'

In the final hosts East Fife beat Dundee 1-0 with a goal just after the quarter-hour mark with Robert Sloan's mis-hit shot reachingd Robert Ogleby and he set up a trialist, in the shape of former Ross County, Partick Thistle & Morton player Kevin McKinlay, who said thanks very much.

Parky gets his trail with the Shrimpers: www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/sport/2011/july/10/jack_parkinson.aspx

Rohan tarts himself around: www.southendunited-mad.co.uk

Shrimpers Pre-Season Schedule

Monday, July 11th - Dartford 0 Southend United 3

Tuesday, July 12th - Great Wakering Rovers 0 Southend United 5

Saturday, July 16th - Dundee 2 Southend United 0

Sunday, July 17th - Raith Rovers 0 Southend United 0

Wednesday, July 20th - Braintree Town (Away), 19.45. (SUFC X1)

Friday, July 22nd - IPSWICH TOWN (HOME), 19.45.

Thursday, July, 28th - NORWICH CITY (HOME), 19.45

Saturday, July 30th - Canvey Island (away), 15.00. (SUFC X1)