On the first day of the month striker Mark Rawle, who had been in good form during the previous seven weeks, was diagnosed with a hamstring strain. The injury was picked up early in the 1-0 win over Exeter City three days prior, with Rawle limping off just ten minutes from the end of the match.
It was a game of two halves at Gigg Lane as United visited for the first time since sealing promotion to the old Division Two for the first time in their history in 1991. Three minutes into the encounter, Michael Nelson smashed a half volley past Darryl Flahavan after being left unmarked in the box and handed the Shakers the lead. For the rest of the opening period the home side dominated possession, and it appeared that another lacklustre Shrimpers performance was on the cards. It seemed as though United’s luck was out when Tesfaye Bramble poked the ball past a struggling Glyn Garner, but bizarrely the referee ruled out the effort.
It only took twelve more minutes for the equaliser as Blues stepped up a gear. A lumped ball forward found under-fire forward Graeme Jones, and the marksman netted his second goal in two games as he nonchalantly chipped Garner. Neil Jenkins then saw another ‘goal’ ruled out for a dubious offside, but the ex-Wimbledon man was not to be denied and Bramble set up the left-sided performer who was in a better position to shoot low into the bottom left-hand corner. And the 3-1 victory was sealed when Bramble himself deservedly flicked home Ian Selley’s free-kick.
Saturday 12th April 2002 – Southend United 1 (Barrington Belgrave 90) York City 0
A week later the Shrimpers completed a third successive triumph when Barrington Belgrave tucked home a last-gasp effort. In a dull match, far from the excitement of the second half at Gigg Lane, chances were few and far between against the Minstermen, who themselves tried to spoil the game by stretching the rules to their very limit. However, after a largely eventless 90 minutes, and the fourth official had indicated only two minutes of injury time, substitute Belgrave raced onto Flahavan’s long set-piece in the third minute of stoppage time, and sent the ball past Alan Fettis.
Saturday 19th April 2002 – Swansea City 1 Southend United 0
Another fixture largely devoid of action followed at the Vetch Field, which was no surprise as injuries and suspensions ruled out Blues’ top three strikers, and former skipper Phil Whelan was forced to partner Belgrave up front. Just over a quarter-of-an-hour in, Whelan rose highest to nod past Roger Freestone, who succeeded only in punching the ball into his own net. Referee Mick Fletcher awarded the goal, but then astoundingly ruled it out as he spotted an assistant’s flag on the opposite side, citing handball as the reason.
Five minutes later, Whelan should have nodded home from a Mark Beard cross, but directed his header wide, before Ian Selley was unbelievably cautioned having been stamped on. Andrew Mumford almost handed the Swans the lead, but despite his shot having crossed the line after striking the underside of the crossbar, referee Fletcher ruled for play to continue. The second period was nowhere near as eventful, and it was one moment that decided the outcome. As Southend tried to clear in a haphazard fashion, Beard appeared to foul Jason Thomas, and Fletcher awarded the spot-kick. Thomas stepped up himself to sent the penalty past Flahavan, and City went on to win 1-0.
The first day of the following week, manager Rob Newman tried to solve his striking problem by snapping up Frome Town front man Mark Salter. The forward, who had already experienced two trial periods at Roots Hall during pre-season and then again at the start of October, had scored 78 times in 136 matches for the Screwfix Western League outfit and joined on a free transfer.
Tuesday 22nd October 2002 – Swindon Town 6 Southend United 1 (Graeme Jones 23)
The Shrimpers started with a second-string line-up for the LDV Vans Trophy first round clash at the County Ground, and eventually it showed, although not to the degree that a 6-1 reversal appears to suggest. The Wiltshire team had one just one of their last thirteen matches, but ten minutes in they didn’t allow it to inhibit them, and Tottenham Hotspur loanee stroked home a 40-yard free-kick, with Flahavan palpably to blame. However, thirteen minutes later Blues were level, with Graeme Jones guiding the ball past Bart Griemink from fifteen yards.
Less than sixty seconds later the Robins were on top again, Jimmy Davis driving home from twenty yards. The rest of the period was tight and well-balanced, but just after Andy Gurney had struck the Southend crossbar, the home side snatched a third on the stroke of half time. Matthew Heywood was the goalscorer, capitalising on poor United defending.
That signalled a sorry second half collapse, with Danny Invincible converting Sam Parkin’s right-wing cross four minutes after the restart. Steven Clark almost completed a miserable night when he was sent off for a second bookable offence on 64 minutes. But the disappointment for the ravelling supporters was far from over, although they did have to wait until 88 minutes for Stefani Miglioranzi to add a fifth. Parkin then finished the rout in the final minute, flicking the ball past Flahavan from a Gurney centre.
Friday 25th October 2002 - Southend United 0 Hartlepool United 1
This match, which would have seen Southend leap to second in the table, just behind the Friday night opposition Hartlepool United, was decided just 54 seconds in. Ian Selley’s pass inside to Stephen Broad sold the former Chelsea man short, and Marcus Richardson raced onto the mistake before squaring for Eifion Williams to stroke past Flahavan. Four minutes in, Bramble should have been handed a penalty after Micky Barron shoved him, but referee Keith Hill missed the incident in a fashion that he would repeat throughout the encounter. On the brink of half time, Neil Jenkins blasted over from close range and wasted a great opportunity.
After the interval the Third Division leaders again committed an offence in their own penalty box as Neil Jenkins’ left-wing cross was elbowed out of the danger area by Chris Westwood. That was the last opportunity of the match in all truth as a largely uneventful encounter ended with the Monkeyhangers taking the points.
The next Sunday lunchtime the unbelievable occurred when the Shrimpers were plucked out of the F.A. Cup first round hat alongside Hartlepool, and another Roots Hall clash loomed between the two sides in three weeks’ time. Boss Rob Newman then signalled an intention to improve his midfield as he announced that Leon Britton of West Ham United would be joining Blues on a trial basis to appear for the club’s reserve team.
Tuesday 29th October 2002 – Leyton Orient 2 Southend United 1 (Barrington Belgrave 73)
This time, in a local derby against Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road, the Seasiders managed to concede a goal even earlier than they had against Hartlepool. It took the O’s a mere 52 seconds to take the lead, Ezomo Iriekpen, a West Ham loanee, converting a Ciaran Toner corner that should not have been awarded. Two minutes into injury time, Orient doubled their advantage, although they had very little to do with the incident themselves. A pump forward from defence saw Kevin Nugent put Phil Whelan under pressure, and the defender was forced to nod backwards towards goal. However, fatally goalkeeper Flahavan had left his line, and the ball sailed over his head and into the empty net.
Newman hauled off Whelan at half time, and Jay Smith immediately made himself a nuisance in the box early in the second period. With seventeen minutes remaining, sub Barrington Belgrave shrugged off his marker before sliding the ball into Glenn Morris’ net. Smith then forced Morris into a fine stop before Graeme Jones’ shot was deflected wide. Belgrave was then sent off after mouthing obscenities to the referee Lee Cable as he attempted to pick the ball from a ball boy. The match ended with Neil Jenkins seeing his last-gasp shot graze the bar having picked up a slight deflection.
Player-of-the-Month: October Smith was outstanding during the month, picking up three TLG man-of-the-match awards in just six matches, which included decent displays even against Swansea City, Swindon Town and Leyton Orient where his team-mates were far from effective. Smith failed to find the back of the net, but started many a dangerous move and spent most of his time marshalling the midfield and nursing more experienced campaigners in Kevin Maher and Ian Selley through matches as manager Rob Newman employed the 5-3-2 formation. The much-maligned Jones hit two of his three Southend United goals during October, when he netted in the 3-1 win at Bury and then again as the Shrimpers went down at the County Ground, where Jones was undoubtedly man-of-the-match for the south-east Essex outfit. Jones’ overall play also improved as he brought fellow strikers Tesfaye Bramble, Barrington Belgrave and Mark Rawle all into play in different matches, showing the difficulty he had in settling in at Roots Hall through unsettled partners.
Third Division table (29th October 2002):
1. Hartlepool United Pl16 W10 D3 L3 F28 A16 Pts33 GD12
2. Kidderminster Harriers Pl16 W7 D7 L2 F22 A15 Pts28 GD7
3. Rushden & Diamonds Pl16 W7 D6 L3 F25 A17 Pts27 GD8
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13. York City Pl16 W6 D4 L6 F18 A19 Pts22 GD-1
14. Southend United Pl16 W7 D1 L8 F17 A20 Pts22 GD-3
15. Hull City Pl16 W4 D8 L4 F23 A19 Pts20 GD4
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23. Exeter City Pl16 W2 D6 L8 F17 A29 Pts12 GD-12
24. Carlisle United Pl16 W3 D3 L10 F16 A31 Pts12 GD-15
Winner: Jay Smith
Runner-Up: Graeme Jones
Third Place: Neil Jenkins
Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com