Ten Man Yeovil keep Blues at bay

Last updated : 25 January 2009 By Shrimpers24
Blues boss Steve Tilson announced the team most in the crowd expected as it was about the only 16 left standing, though it did include forward Theo Robinson, signed just before the game from Championship Watford.

The players that have performed for the Blues this season will fill several pages at this rate!

However, the side eventually put out couldn't stop a fourth home defeat in five games and the third in the trot.

Southend had the first chance of the match when Jean-Francois Christophe picked up on a hashed Glovers clearance and set up Lee Barnard, who volleyed straight at Wagenaar.

But the visitors took the lead on six minutes after former Yeovil goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall failed to collect Andy Welsh's free-kick from the right flank.

Southend were unable to clear the ball and Brown volleyed the ball into the net from six yards.

The Shrimpers chased an equaliser and saw skipper Adam Barrett head wide of Wagenaar's goal, before nodding the ball over the crossbar, before Barnard headed on to the roof of the net.

But in a half of few real chances, the Glovers came closest to doubling their advantage when Aidan Downes fired over from 20 yards.

And at the other end Wagenaar dived at Kevin Betsy's feet following Barrett's flick-on from an Osei Sankofa free-kick in stoppage time.

Southend started the second half brightly and saw Christophe's overhead kick go inches wide from a Franck Moussa corner.

Yeovil were reduced to ten men seven minutes after the break when Downes was shown a straight red card for a two-footed challenge on Johnny Herd.

The Blues tried to make their numerical advantage count and thought the chance had come when Moussa released Theo Robinson, the striker making his Shrimpers debut having come on for the lamentable Betsy, only for Wagenaar to race out and dive at his feet.

The Canadian goalie then produced a great save to deny The Moose and Glovers skipper Terrell Forbes headed over his own bar to block a James Walker effort as Town hung on for the win.

Tilly blamed missed chances after the game. Read his full statement here: www.southendunited.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10444~1531222,00.html

This was even poorer than the Orient game on Tuesday and that's saying something. Yeovil were not very good but good enough to hold out against these Blues players who have forgotten the art of making a decent pass and have no cutting edge in the last third.

With away games at Leeds, Colchester and Peterborough to come, with a home games against Bristol Rovers and Scunthorpe inbetween, the R word might have to be mentioned by the end of February unless there's a drastic change of form, and some new players with more experience than the teenagers we seem to keep grabbing on loan.

Coca-Cola League One, Saturday, 24th January 2009 @ 15:00; Roots Hall
Click for Southend United squad list
Brown 6
Click for Yeovil Town squad list
Starting Line-ups
1Mildenhall 6
2Francis 7
15Sankofa (Scannell 83)6
6Barrett 6
18Herd 7
20Christophe (O'Keefe 82)6
14Moussa 6
21Betsy (Robinson 46)4
7Grant 6
9Barnard 6
10Walker 6
Substitutes
24Joyce
30O'Keefe 6(Christophe 82)
12Scannell 6 (Sankofa 83)
17Robinson (Betsy 46)6
19Ademeno
17Goal Attempts5
10On Target2
7Off Target3
0Hit Woodwork0
2Offsides3
6Corners1
14Fouls21
Starting Line-ups
13Wagenaar 8
23Brown 7
12Alcock 6
6Forbes 7
14Warne (Tomlin 30)6
9Welsh (Jones 67)6
11Schofield 6
28Smith 6
27Peltier (Murtagh 46)6
17Downes 6
15Rodgers 6
Substitutes
3Jones (Welsh 67)6
25Cox
18Murtagh (Peltier 46)6
10Tomlin (Warne 30)6
19McCollin
Referee
P Taylor, Hertfordshire 6
Attendance
6409
Southend Utd. Cards
Betsy44unsporting behaviour
Walker90unsporting behaviour
Yeovil Town Cards
Rodgers35unsporting behaviour
Downes53violent conduct
Alcock65unsporting behaviour