Ten man Shrimpers fightback could still be in vain
Last updated : 21 March 2010 By exiledessexboy
Two-down after 13 minutes, 2-2 before the half hour mark, ten men with 22 minutes left, never a dull moment at the Hall!
However, another home draw sees at least 16 points needed from the final 10 games, a very tall order and hard to see Southend remaining in League One now, but the fight goes on.
Great to see Johnny Herd back at left back, how we've missed those long throws, and Francis Laurent went to allow Anthony Grant and Macca to play central midfield and the Moose to go back out on the left, where he went on to have a good game.
Anyway, the shock start for the home team.
Six minutes; Evan Horwood crossed from the left for Scott Dobie, returning from injury, to head low into the bottom right of the Blues goal beyond Steve Mildenhall's dive.
Thirteen minutes; Horwood set up the second seven minutes later with a ball into the box which the Blues defence reacted slowly to and Ben Marshall nipped in to head past Mildenhall from close range.
Inbetween these efforts Damian Scannell had forced a great save from Carlisle keeper Adam Collin, and went on once again to be the Shrimpers most dangerous forward and another man of the match performance.
The home side were rocking now and it could have got much worse as Horwood went close with a thirty yarder that just cleared the bar, and Mildy got in the way of a Marshall shot.
To their credit Southend hung on in there, and on 25 minutes a neat one-two by Damian Scannell and Simon Francis allowed the former to cut inside and tee up Franck Moussa to score low into the right corner of the goal from 18 yards with his left foot!
Great to see the Moose getting further forward and another strike was to follow straight after but found the post this time around.
However his team would not be denied, and only three minutes later Adam Barrett headed home from a Simon Francis corner from the left.
It was Carlisle now that looked all over the place and Collin was flapping at everything, Blues, after being down and out, were unlucky not to be in front when the whistle ended the first period.
Both teams couldn't keep this up and sure enough the second 45 was a more muted affair, still allowing for Paterson to shoot over the bar when put through on goal from a lovely Macca pass, and at the other end Mildenhall made a terrific save from Peter Murphy.
Sadly for the game though this was where referee Woolmer decided to take centre stage.
Yes, another little bald bloke; he got decision after decision wrong, letting poor challenges go, Price being a serial offender while falling over at every opportunity, blowing up for minor offences yet missing a clear handball in the Cumbrian penalty area, the list of offences grew as the half went on cultimating in the sending off of Blues skipper Adam Barrett in the 68th minute.
Already on a debatable yellow Adam had made another trip into the opposition box when the ball fell loose, the Shrimper centre back attempted a shot, caught Carlisle's Peter Murphy who had rushed in to block. A kick said the ref, second yellow, off he went, more abuse for the idiot in green.
On came Osei Sankofa for the sacrificed Matt Paterson as the Shrimpers reshuffled at the back.
The Essex boys had taken a couple of final opportunities even with a man down as maybe Carlisle thoughts were turning to Wembley next Sunday.
Scannell had a long range effort well saved by Collin and in the fianl minute Francis just shot wide of the right-hand post with the Cralisle shot stopper beaten.
The first win of 2010 has to wait, and if it doesn't come on Tuesday with Walsall at Roots Hall, it's hard to see the great escape coming off.
Tom and Dick have been closed, Harry has the sand falling in, and even the tunnel king is waiting to call time.
| Coca-Cola League One, Saturday, 20th March 2010 @ 15:00; Roots Hall |
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| |  |  | | | Moussa 25
Barrett 28
| | Dobie 6
Marshall 13
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| | 14 | Goal Attempts | 13 | | 7 | On Target | 9 | | 7 | Off Target | 4 | | 0 | Hit Woodwork | 0 | | 1 | Offsides | 1 | | 8 | Corners | 9 | | 12 | Fouls | 7 |
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| Referee | | KA Woolmer, Northamptonshire - 4 | | Attendance | | 6384 |
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| Southend Utd. Cards | | Barrett | 21 | unsporting behaviour | | Barrett | 67 | second bookable offence | | Baldwin | 88 | dissent | | Carlisle Utd. Cards | | (none) |
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