November started with out-of-favour Cambridge United winger Tony Scully signing a loan deal with Southend. The wide man, who can operate on both wings, initially joined for a month-long period, having already appeared at Roots Hall in the U’s 2-1 defeat to the Shrimpers in August as he returned from injury. The 26-year-old Irishman went straight into the squad for the match with Wrexham.
Saturday 2nd November 2002 – Southend United 0 Wrexham 1
However, Scully’s debut was not successful as Blues stumbled to their fifth home reverse in only two-and-a-half months of football. The only goal of the game came after forty minutes of a decidedly dull first half. Andy Morrell’s routine shot was needlessly parried out into the path of Stephen Thomas by goalkeeper Darryl Flahavan, and the Red Dragons man had no problem in volleying home into an unattended net. In the second period, Graeme Jones twice came close to equalising. In the first instance he headed Kevin Maher’s cross against the crossbar before he saw his close range tap-in ruled out for little reason. Shaun Holmes’ free-kick grazed the top of the bar at the other end but, in a frantic end to the afternoon, Mark Salter’s one-on-one chance was denied by ‘keeper Paul Whitfield and Barrington Belgrave smashed the ball against the post when it was easier to score.
Saturday 9th November 2002 – Bristol Rovers 0 Southend United 1 (Tesfaye Bramble 78)
A five-match losing streak was finally ended at the Memorial Stadium in a win that meant the Shrimpers had earned more Football League points away from Roots Hall than in their home fixtures. Once an early Rovers chance had been ruled out for offside, it was the visitors who created all the chances. With five minutes remaining before the interval, some indecisive goalkeeping from Scott Howie with Barrington Belgrave in close attendance allowed Tesfaye Bramble to pounce, only for the ex-Cambridge City front man to watch his 35-yard effort hit the bar and rebound out.
The second period was much the same as the first as United relied on the counter-attack and a splendid rearguard action to prevent their hosts from netting. Ian Selley sent a free-kick just inches over from 25 yards before Tony Scully tested Howie from distance. On 78 minutes, the eventual winner finally came. Belgrave and Scully hustled on the right wing, and Belgrave’s ball inside found Bramble, who fired low across goal and inside the far post from 18 yards. Guiliano Grazioli somehow missed an excellent chance to equalise seven minutes later, but it was the Seasiders who took the points.
The next day, perennial loanee and trialist Danny Webb made yet another move away from south-east Essex. The 19-year-old had returned from Peterborough, and had scored in a 2-1 reserve team win over Millwall, but now switched back to Brighton & Hove Albion, where he had spent thirteen matches under Peter Taylor the previous year. As that week continued, a friendly against Screwfix Western League side Frome Town was announced, with the match effectively part of the deal that brought striker Mark Salter to United. However, with the recent departure of Salter, ideas for that fixture appear to have been shelved.
Saturday 16th November 2002 – Southend United 1 (Lee [o.g.] 3) Hartlepool United 1
Southend set up a replay at Victoria Park in the first round of the F.A. Cup against Division Three front-runners Hartlepool United with a superb performance. In a strange twist of fate, it was Blues that struck earlier, in juxtaposition to the League encounter when Eifion Williams netted early. This time Tony Scully skipped past two men before sending a wicked ball across the penalty area, and defender Graeme Lee obliged by deflecting the ball past custodian Anthony Williams. Midway through the first period, Hartlepool equalised through an unusual source. Marcus Richardson orchestrated a move and Micky Barron was on hand to strike sweetly past Flahavan and level matters.
Throughout the rest of the match saw both sides attempt to get in front again, but to no avail. Jay Smith was denied three time by shotstopper Williams before the break, and Mark Rawle was bundled to the floor by ex-Shrimper Mark Tinkler just after the interval. Referee Lee Cable waved play on. Damon Searle fired narrowly wide before Tes Bramble and Steven Clark both smashed efforts stinging into the hands of Williams. Chris Westwood blocked out two more Bramble shots towards the end of the fixture, but stalemate meant that a replay would be required.
Between the Cup matches, it was announced that Jay Smith would be signing an eighteen-month contract, taking the youngster up until the summer of 2004. The 22-year-old committed after a string of excellent displays in a three-month loan spell with the Roots Hall outfit. At the same time young West Ham United talent Leon Britton and Newcastle United wide man Chris Moore were told by Rob Newman that their services would not be required despite impressing in second-string outings.
Saturday 23rd November 2002 – Southend United 0 AFC Bournemouth 1
In an incredible coincidence, it was the opposition that had been drawn out of the Second Round hat that visited Essex the week after the Cup draw, this time in the League and spelling a sixth home defeat. Yet another poor first half saw the Cherries on top, but despite Wade Elliott and Steve Fletcher both going close, they were unable to hit the target, and Damon Searle’s free-kick was the closest either side came to scoring, but Neil Moss kept the ball out. The second half was of a similar standard but with some outrageously pathetic refereeing thrown in for good measure.
The match hinged on two moments of madness from chief official Paul Armstrong of Berkshire. The first occurred as Jay Smith put Tes Bramble through on goal. The rangy forward stepped round defender Stephen Purches, but the Bournemouth player then wrestled the striker to the floor with arms around Bramble’s shoulder. Armstrong waved claims for a spot-kick away, and on 71 minutes another shout went up, this time at the other end. With Garreth O’Connor slipping to the ground and Searle in close attendance, the assistant referee put his flag across his chest. Armstrong seemed astounded, but awarded the penalty nonetheless, and O’Connor himself fired home past Darryl Flahavan.
Tuesday 26th November 2002 – Hartlepool United 1 Southend United 2 (Tesfaye Bramble 88, Leon Cort 89)
It was a match that the 150-odd travelling Shrimpers will never forget, and saw videos released by the club for those who could not be there – the first F.A, Cup replay win away from Roots Hall for seventy years, and only the third time in the club’s history that it had occurred. The first half, in sequence from the previous two matches between the sides, was tight, and Darryl Flahavan had to make a point-blank save from a Graeme Lee header just four minutes in. Tony Scully, in a rich vein of form, fired a fine 25-yard shot at Anthony Williams at the other end, but the ‘keeper was equal to the task, tipping the ball against the top of the bar and away to safety. Former Southend loanee Brian Barry-Murphy then hacked a Barrington Belgrave shot away from underneath the bar and respective top-scorers Tes Bramble and Eifion Williams just avoided the frame of the goal.
Neil Jenkins opened up the second period with a shot from an acute angle when a square pass to Damon Searle may have been the better option before Bramble screwed another effort just wide. But eighteen minutes into the second half, the favourites took the lead. Paul Smith’s free-kick cannoned off the crossbar, but Graeme Lee’s initial header was somehow clawed away by Flahavan, although the Southampton-born man could do nothing about the follow-up, Marcus Richardson blasting home to seal an excellent three matches for him personally.
Flahavan had to keep the Shrimpers in the tie twice as Adam Boyd and Paul Smith both tested him from distance, and on 88 he was rewarded. Manager Rob Newman had made the brave decision to bring on Steven Clark and Graeme Jones, and he was vindicated when the former’s tricky run ended with a shot blocked out to Bramble and his stunning 30-yard half-volley flew like a tracer bullet into the right-hand corner of the goal. Less than sixty seconds later, Southend won a corner, and Kevin Maher’s delivery was headed majestically underneath Williams by Leon Cort to dramatically seal the match for the Seasiders. Who said the F.A. Cup was dead?
Saturday 30th November 2002 – Darlington 2 Southend United 1 (Tesfaye Bramble 90)
An incredible sixth defeat out of seven was the result of a lacklustre display in the north-east, a vast contradiction to the Cup match up the road four days previous. A fortunate penalty was awarded to the Quakers just eight minutes in, Flahavan and Searle vying to be identified by referee Mark Cowburn as the culprit, and in another tale of the penalty spot, the first of the afternoon was saved easily by Flahavan. 37 minutes into the match, Darlington took the lead as Cowburn incredulously gave Southend an invisible advantage after a foul on Barrington Belgrave. Barry Conlon, the bain of United since his departure, volleyed home Ashley Nicholls’ resultant flag-kick. The first half was not over, and Dave McSweeney almost handed the home side a second as he diverted a Neil Wainwright cross just past the foot of the right-hand upright.
Just after the hour mark, Blues were handed a lifeline with a dubious penalty won by captain Kevin Maher. Tes Bramble appeared to feel sorry for the home side, and his spot-kick cleared the terrace at the back of the goal. Graeme Jones’ ‘goal’ was then deemed offside ridiculously by the assistant referee in front of the home fans most vocal support, and Nicholls struck on the counter-attack to compound Southend’s agony. Another late, late show was required, and Bramble obliged by rifling home an unstoppable shot past Michael Ingham from distance but it was a case of too little, too late.
Third Division Table (as at 30th November 2002)
1. Hartlepool United Pl20 W13 D4 L3 F34 A19 Pts43 GD15
2. Rushden & Diamonds Pl20 W11 D6 L3 F32 A19 Pts39 GD13
3. AFC Bournemouth Pl20 W10 D6 L4 F28 A23 Pts36 GD5
13. Lincoln City Pl20 W7 D6 L7 F20 A18 Pts27 GD2
14. Southend United Pl20 W8 D1 L11 F19 A24 Pts25 GD-5
15. Rochdale Pl20 W6 D6 L8 F28 A31 Pts24 GD-3
23. Exeter City Pl20 W4 D4 L12 F22 A33 Pts16 GD-11
24. Boston United Pl20 W5 D4 L11 F19 A32 Pts15 GD-13*
*Boston United deducted four points for financial irregularities
Player-of-the-Month: November
Winner: Tony Scully
Scully joined the Shrimpers at the very start of the month, and immediately made an impact with some surging runs and trickery which had not been seen since Steven Clark arrived on loan from West Ham United. Scully also contributed well to the goal against Hartlepool at Roots Hall, when Graeme Lee diverted the ball past his own goalie. He also helped set up Tesfaye Bramble’s goal at Bristol Rovers as he sought to earn a long-term contract.
Runner-Up: Leon Cort
Cort’s commanding presence was felt throughout the Third Division and in the F.A. Cup as he became the imposing spearhead of the Shrimpers rearguard, no more so than against Hartlepool at Victoria Park, when he nodded home the Southend winner just seconds before the conclusion of the match. Cort was also a rock at the back, where matters were starting to look shaky with Darryl Flahavan beginning to flail.
Third Place: Tesfaye Bramble
In third place it’s the other Cup hero, Tes Bramble, the man who netted the equaliser at the Division Three leaders with a stunning 30-yard strike. He also scored the winner at Bristol Rovers, and while his away form completely outshone that at Roots Hall, he also scored at Feethams, although a missed penalty against Darlington was all-too-costly for Blues play-off hopes.
Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com