Super Shrimpers send Millers mad with more awayday magic

Last updated : 16 January 2011 By westfield shrimper
Can we play away from Roots Hall every week?

And we had the majority of the possession as well, maybe Millers boss Ronnie 'we're a better side than Southend' Moore should keep quiet before a game, it can come back to haunt you, and it did here.

That's a very impressive double over the South Yorkshire side that started the day in second place.

Blues boss Paul Sturrock made three changes from last week, and EEB predicted the lot in his preview, though he got Matt Phillips returning wrong as veteran Graham Coughlan stayed in.

The ones he got right: Peter Gilbert for Johnny Herd at left-back, you could put your mortgage on that one, Louie Soares down the right for Miguel Comminges, predicted by Luggy himself, and, no surprise again, Blair Sturrock for the unlucky Matt Paterson.

Still, who are we to argue when within 13 minutes the away side were two-up.

Have the Millers not watched the DVD's of our games at Cheltenham and Oxford, back-to-back 2-0 wins all wrapped up in the first 45, maybe Ronnie's just been looking at the recent home games!

What turned out to be an error in hindsight, then again they were playing at home, Rotherham won the toss but changed ends handing the Shrimpers first go with the strong wind al la Bristol Rovers away last season.

Thanks guys, but at least we didn't throw it away this time around.

A lot of the crowd had failed to take their seats when Southend opened the scoring in the very first minute, 32 frigging seconds to be exact.

Sean Clohessy with a terrific cross after a Blair knockdown, and there was Ryan Hall with the finish, a left footed volley from just six yards out.

That seemed to annoy the league's second-placed team a touch who went on the offensive, keeper Glenn Morris doing well to keep out a Ryan Taylor header.

Top scorer Barry Corr had a go to no avail, and then the Shrimpers struck for a second time!

Hall turned provider this time, after his corner found Blair Sturrock, we said he should be in the side, lurking with intent in the middle of the area, and his bullet header did the rest.

Plenty of good defensive work followed from the Blues helped by Morris looking safe in goal.

Taylor getting frustrated enough to receive a yellow card for fouling, guess who, Anthony Grant.

On 35 minutes the hard-working Sturrock crossed for Soares to bring a good reaction save from Millers keeper Andy Warrington who pushed the ball back on to the former Aldershot wideboy's head, and he placed it wide, oh dear!

Continuing away into the Rotherham half did bring the odd corner, but overall Southend would have been pleased to hear the whistle for half-time, surviving a decent attempt for an own goal by Grham Coughlan, and hope they can keep events in control as they did the previous two away games, where the second 45 remained goalless and the points returned to Roots Hall.

However, now the home side had the strong Yorkshire wind, and there was a goal this time around, and it went to the Millers on the hour.

Nicky Law's corner dropped well for centre-half Nick Fenton, unmarked inside the box, and he did enough to find the net from close range.

Foul on morris, didn't look like it from high up.

And still a good half-hour on the clock.

A defensive substitution five minutes later as young Kane Ferdinand, blimey, Luggy must rate him, comes on for Soares, who played at his usual pace missing that earlier opportunity to tie the game up.

The non-stop pressure expected from the promotion chasers didn't really materialise, though there was enough to keep the hosts hoping another chance would come their way.

Ryan Hall, S24's man-of-the-match in a losing cause last Saturday, was doing his best to pick up the award again, but to finish on a positive note this time around.

He was everywhere, corners, free-kicks, crosses, many of the travelling faithful will hope we are seeing real consistancy from the youngster at last, and Luggy has found a real gem.

Last 20; the Millers faithful are in full voice as Jason Taylor tries his luck from 20 yards.

But the Blues continue to breakaway every now and again with set-pieces coming to the rescue, as Anthony Grant takes the corner duties but both are cleared by a increasingly concerned Rotherham side and Moore on the touchline, your not showing Luggy anything yet Ronnie.

Last 15; Millers sub Paul Warne shoots, brillliantly saved down to his left by Morris.

Corr for Southend, a header just wide, it's not to be four in a row for the tall centre forward.

Last 10; another save from the confident former Borient keeper, this time from the Miller's Taylor.

Corr gets booked for kicking the ball away, silly, but it doesn't take away from the hard work he's put in, covering their centre-back going forward like a hawk just about to swoop on his prey.

Law crosses, caught by Morris, nails are getting shorter!

Last 5; on Tuesday Rotherham scored twice in the final six minutes to rescue a point at Stockport, it's not over yet, and another save from Glenn proves it.
More Millers pressure, but coped with well by the Southend rearguard, four minutes of stoppage time are shown by the fourth official.

A Rotherham corner with seconds to go, Tom Newey send it in, clutched on to by the magnificent Morris.

The referee brings an end to the game, victory at the Don Valley Stadium, 240-odd happpy Shrimpers, three away wins on the trot, up to 15th place, but damn it, we're at home next Friday evening, to another top team in Bury, no worries, it's under floodlights!

Southend player markings: Morris - 8, Clohessy - 8, Coughlan - 7, Barker - 7, Gilbert - 7, Hall - 9, Grant - 7, Easton - 7, Soares - 5 (Ferdinand 66 - 6, now that's scary), Sturrock - 8, Corr - 7.

Referee - Mr. S. Mathieson - 6.

Npower League Two, Saturday, 15th January 2011 @ 15:00
Click for Rotherham United squad list
Fenton 61
Hall 1
Sturrock 13
Click for Southend United squad list
Starting Line-ups
1Warrington
2Tonge
6Fenton
17Mullins
3Newey
15Ellison (Warne 76)
7Law
8Taylor, J
21Marshall (Randall 46)
20Taylor, R
10Le Fondre
Substitutes
14Ashworth
12Green
16Warne (Ellison 76)
30Annerson
25Randall (Marshall 46)
9Pope
4Harrison
44.6%Possession55.4%
1Goal Attempts2
1On Target2
0Off Target0
0Hit Woodwork0
7Corners6
Starting Line-ups
1Morris
2Clohessy
3Gilbert
23Barker
5Coughlan
12Hall
7Grant
8Easton
17Soares (Ferdinand 66)
21Sturrock
10Corr
Substitutes
20Crawford
15Phillips
9Paterson
24Evans
18Herd
19Comminges
31Ferdinand (Soares 66)
Referee
Scott Mathieson
Attendance
4,310
Rotherham U. Cards
Taylor45 Unsporting behaviour
Southend Utd. Cards
Corr84 Unsporting behaviour