TLG in 2003 – Blues' Twos (Part One)

January

February

March

Neil Jenkins found the goal with an audacious corner

Just as it appeared that the Shrimpers were destined to have a poor season, lying 17th in the Combination (albeit with games in hand) and out of the county's premier trophy, they came to life - and it all began with a victory over East London rivals Leyton Orient. The first half was dull, and Gary Alexander put the O's in front. It could have been much worse seven minutes after the interval when Neil Jenkins twice cleared off the goal-line, but the ex-Wimbledon man then sent trialist Scott Partridge away to cross for Brett Darby, who levelled with a powerful header. Jenkins then scored the winner late on in extraordinary fashion, goalkeeper Paul Jones misjudging the England Under-20 international's corner and allowing it to go straight into the net.

After a fortnight's break, Whaddon Road was the venue for Southend's next reserve encounter. Cheltenham Town fielded a strong side, but it was the visitors, who included Chris Sutton's younger brother John in their line-up, who prevailed. After an end-to-end opening half-hour, Brett Darby lobbed Shane Higgs to give Southend the lead. Ten minutes later it was Sutton's turn, the youngster lashing past Higgs from Darby centre. Steady resistance capped an excellent display.

April

Mark Beard was an unlikely scorer in April

The season came to an end in April, after re-arranged matches meant that Blues Twos had to undertake seven games in that time in four weeks. On just the second day of the month, they claimed a third consecutive triumph, 3-1 against Third Division rivals Oxford United with an unfamiliar name on the scoresheet. Dexter Blackstock, who was in sensational form at the time, and who later joined Southampton to earn the Yellows a well-needed wad of cash, opened the scoring for the U's, but Blues were soon level, defender Mark Beard, playing on the right-hand side of midfield, tapping home from twelve yards. Three minutes later Beard scored again with a superb chip, and young Michael Kightly completed the rout with his first reserve goal.

Another real contender for performance of the season came as the second-string beat champions-elect Crystal Palace, who would have won the title had they won at Roots Hall. In what everyone in southeast Essex agreed was as good an Avon Insurance Combination match as anyone will ever see, the two teams locked horns over an enthralling end-to-end encounter. Fit-again striker Tesfaye Bramble opened the scoring after just ten minutes, trialist Rocky Baptiste setting the ex-Cambridge City front man away. However, Kerem Bashkal soon restored parity, and the crowd had to wait for another hour for the deciding goal, although there were plenty of chances at either end, not least when Mark Beard's glancing header was deemed to be offside on the stroke of half-time. Beard's low cross on 76 minutes may have been going goalwards, but Baptiste made sure by firing into the roof of the net to seal a fantastic victory.

Yarmouth's Robert George was the hat-trick hero against the Gills

Incredibly the next outing, also at Roots Hall, saw the Shrimpers better even that with a stunning 4-0 win over another First Division side in Gillingham. Trialist Robert George from Great Yarmouth Town was the pick of the players on show in a one-sided fixture - his first goal came after just five minutes and the second followed on ten from James Millar, a trialist released by the Gills in December. With youngsters Kightly and Anthony Clark impressing on the flanks, numerous chances were wasted, but George converted the former's near-post cross to make it three on the stroke of half-time. And the Yarmouth hit-man completed a sensational hat-trick just after the interval.

It was now five successive wins and seven matches unbeaten in Combination matches, but the run was about to stop at Ashton Gate. An extremely young Southend side, littered with trialists and containing only Steven Clark as a household name went down by the same scoreline to the Robins, Leroy Lita taking on the mantle of hat-trick hero and Peter Beadle his support act.

However, Blues maintained their impressive home record with a 1-1 stalemate against rock-bottom Barnet, albeit with a less than cohesive performance. Despite dominating for long periods of time, the home side only managed to take the lead with sixteen minutes left, Bramble connecting with Baptiste's flick-on. However, the Conference club capitalised on the poor finishing to equalise through substitute Lee Roche. Indeed, Danny Gay had to make a sublime save from Ben Wiper to ensure that the Shrimpers gained a single point in a game they really should have won.

The home season ended with Southend gaining revenge over Bristol, United seeing off the challenge of Rovers where they couldn't find a way past City. Both sides had their chances in the first thirty minutes, but it was the highly impressive Michael Kightly who netted after good work from Steven Clark. Then, on the stroke of half-time, Anthony Clark popped up from a Kightly ball to double the lead. The Seasiders dominated for long periods, but the Gasheads were awarded a dubious penalty after an innocuous misdemeanour led to Dave Gilroy scoring from the spot.

And 2002/3 was wrapped up with the match of the season at Norwich City's Carrow Road ground. With Blues Twos enjoying a top ten spot, they travelled up to take on the Canaries, who finished second in the table, and although the result was not desired, each and every Southend player could be proud of his performance. Zema Abbey scored the first early on, but, despite David Neilson hitting the crossbar from a free-kick, it was the visitors who scored next in extraordinary fashion. Canaries 'keeper Paul Crichton made a hash of a clearance in the bottom left-hand corner of the pitch, and Daryl Sutch, returning to Norfolk after 350 appearances for City, slotted home from fully 35 yards. Further strikes from Adam Smith and Lee Blackburn made it 3-1, but Kightly scored his third in three games for Shrimpers' sides with seven minutes left to hand United a lifeline. Danny Crowe's scintillating finish in injury time, and Stephen Broad's wrist injury did little to dampen the spirits of the 637 people in attendance.

How It All Finished