TLG Stat-Pack – The Shrimpers vs. The Cobblers - Shrimpers24

Martin Carruthers scored one of the goals last time Southend took a point off of the Cobblers

The omens do not look good for Southend’s trip to Sixfields. Blues have yet to record a victory at the new home of Northampton Town, and the stadium celebrates a decade of use this summer. Indeed, the Shrimpers have not even come close to winning at the all-seater ground on the outskirts of the town, having lost 3-1 on their first trip there, and then suffering a 2-0 defeat, with one goal from ex-striker Jamie Forrester in Division Three during March 2000.

In fact, the Seasiders have not won at all against the Cobblers since they moved there, with this season’s home defeat being added to a 2-2 draw in 1999/2000 and a goalless affair two year’s prior in United’s last campaign in Division Two. The last time Southend won a fixture against Northampton Town was on Boxing Day 1988 – and I was only five years old at that time!

Wins on the road are few and far between against Town. The last came in March 1985, and then it had been fourteen years since the previous on in May 1971. When you consider that the Cobblers are one of Southend’s oldest and most frequent adversaries, having joined the old Third Division at its inauguration in 1920, the nine wins in 48 attempts is a paltry total.

The biggest of those triumphs was way back in the final season of Division Three (South) action in 1958, when Blues prevailed 3-1, whilst for the largest victory overall you have to go back to September 1925 for a 6-1 win at the Kursaal. Meanwhile, Northampton have triumphed 8-0, 5-2, 4-1, 5-1, 6-2 and 5-0 – and that is just at home. Steve Tilson and his troops have a mammoth task in front of them if they are to emerge with even a draw.

Last Meeting

Southend United	0-1 (Attendance: 5,086)	Northampton Town
	Referee: Joe Ross Match Time: 95:24 1st half: 47:12, 2nd half: 48:12	Paul Trollope 60

Darryl Flahavan Duncan Jupp Neil Jenkins Lewis Hunt Leon Cort Kevin Maher --- Jay Smith James Corbett Mark Gower Tesfaye Bramble Leon Constantine	5 6(46) 6 7 6 3 5 5 7 7 5(66)	Lee Harper Luke Chambers Ian Sampson Chris Willmott Chris Carruthers Chris Hargreaves Paul Trollope Josh Low Martin Reeves Richard Walker Martin Smith --	7 6 6 6 6 6 7 8 7 6(86) 6
Carl Emberson Dave McSweeney Drewe Broughton Che Wilson Michael Husbands	- 6(46) - - 6(66)	Glyn Thompson Marc Richards Tom Smith Derek Asamoah Paul Harsley	- 6(86) - - -

20 7 7 6 0 19 4 7	Total Goal Attempts Shots/headers on target shots/headers off target Blocked Shots Hit Woodwork Free-Kicks Corners Caught Offside	10 4 5 1 0 14 5 4

Match Report By Mark Wallis
IT’S now an incredible five home defeats from the last six matches for Southend United at Roots Hall. This latest reverse was barely any different from the rest despite boss Steve Wignall appearing to disagree... Wignall proudly declared after the match that he was happy with the performance of his side and that the Shrimpers should have won the match by at least a four-goal margin. Sadly, the Blues boss only seems to be hiding his side’s performance, which was not really any different from the previous defeats. Indeed United's only point from their last six home fixtures was during the match with bottom-placed Carlisle United, it is so far the Cumbrians only away point of the campaign and Southend were two-nil up at half time. The Shrimpers penalty hoodoo came back to haunt them again on this chilly November afternoon. Having finally netted from the spot last week at Macclesfield Town, Jay Smith's tame spot-kick was saved by tall goalkeeper Lee Harper. It would have brought a crucial equaliser, but all it meant was that United have missed five of their incredible number of seven penalties this season. The home side, for whom Jim Corbett was returning to the starting line-up, did start brightly however and in just the first minute Tes Bramble headed the yellow ball - used between November and February of course - inches wide of the post from a Mark Gower centre. Soon after however the visitors caused the first scare of the afternoon, Chris Hargreaves driving an effort just wide from 20 yards following a Paul Trollope corner. Corbett however sent an effort wide after a neat run for the Shrimpers before Bramble nodded wide after a Leon Constantine cross on the quarter hour mark. Moments later a strong run by Low was too pacy for Kevin Maher and the wide man saw his shot pushed out by Darryl Flahavan who then made a decent reaction stop from Richard Walker. One of Southend's best chances of the game then arrived on 21 minutes, Bramble slipping Gower through on goal with a fantastic ball, but Gower, having raced clear of the defence could only direct his effort straight at keeper Harper from a slight angle. Bramble's lob then beat Harper but Chris Willmott was on hand to hook the ball away. The home sides best spell of the match then arrived in the minutes leading up to half time. Maher curled a shot off target following a Gower corner; awarded only after the ball had bounced off the head of referee Joe Ross, and Corbett then drove a shot at Harper from the edge of the area having connected onto a neat ball by Smith. Constantine then really should have done better when he failed to connect properly with Bramble fantastic cross from close range at the far post before the half came to a climax shortly Corbett had sliced a shot, from a Gower cross, badly over the top. Unfortunately Wignall's men, having taken a rather extended half time break, never got going in the second half, and just three minutes after the interval a break forward by Martin Smith saw a fifty yard run end in a shot fizzing just over Flahavan's crossbar. A fantastic tackle by Bramble, dispossessing Ian Sampson, resulted in a ball knocked to Constantine who saw his disappointing 25 yard effort blocked. The winner then arrived on the hour mark. Trollope's harmless looking over-hit free-kick somehow brought a monumental blunder out of Flahavan who somehow completely missed the flight of the ball which drifted into the North Bank net. Walker then sharply turned before firing just wide of the near post before substitute Michael Husbands saw his neat run end in a shot at Harper. Southend were handed a lifeline however on 72 minutes when Bramble was hauled to the deck by Chris Carruthers. There was a lengthy wait before the kick was taken, in which time Martin Smith was booked for dissent, but when Jay Smith eventually stepped up his poorly hit kick was pushed out by Harper and Smith himself headed the rebound straight into Harper's arms. That penalty miss brought United's hopes to an end, and despite a pacy Gower run which resulted in Lewis Hunt seeing as shot blocked before Corbett's low drive fizzled past the upright. The Shrimpers could have had another spot-kick in injury time when Sampson appeared to trip Bramble, but Ross waved away the appeals and Maher, having been booked in the first half, saw red after a second caution having continuously protested to Ross. In the end Maher, who will miss the trip to Yeovil Town's Huish Park in two weeks time, can't really complain about his dismissal which just about summed up Southend's afternoon.

Last Five Meetings

1^st November 2003 – Southend United 0 Northampton Town 1 (Paul Trollope 60) – League Division Three

25^th March 2000 – Northampton Town 2 (Dave Savage 27, Jamie Forrester 71) Southend United 0 – League Division Three

26^th December 1999 – Southend United 2 (Martin Carruthers 51, Neil Tolson 81) Northampton Town 2 (John Frain 61, Ian Sampson 78) – League Division Three

14^th February 1998 – Northampton Town 3 (Christopher Freestone 30, David Brightwell 42, John Frain 55) Southend United 1 (Jeroen Boere 34) – League Division Two

4^th October 1997 – Southend United 0 Northampton Town 0 – League Division Two

The Complete Head-to-Head Record

2003/4 – H0-1 (League)

1999/2000 – H2-2 A0-2 (League)

1997/8 – H0-0 A1-3 (League)

1988/9 – H2-1 A2-2 (League)

1987/8 – H1-1 A0-4 (League)

1986/7 – H0-4 A1-2 (League), H4-4 A2-3 (F.A. Cup)

1985/6 – H0-4 A0-0 (League)

1984/5 – H2-1 A2-1 (League)

1980/1 – H0-0 A0-2 (League)

1977/8 – H0-0 A0-0 (League), H2-3 A1-2 (League Cup)

1971/2 – H4-1 A1-1 (League)

1970/1 – H1-0 A2-0 (League)

1969/70 – H2-2 A0-2 (League)

1962/3 – H5-1 A3-5 (League)

1961/2 – H1-3 A1-3 (League)

1957/8 – H6-3 A3-1 (League)

1956/7 – H0-1 A2-2 (League)

1955/6 – H2-0 A1-1 (League)

1954/5 – H4-1 A2-6 (League)

1953/4 – H2-0 A0-5 (League)

1952/3 – H3-1 A3-4 (League)

1951/2 – H2-0 A3-4 (League)

1950/1 – H3-0 A1-1 (League)

1949/50 – H1-2 A0-2 (League)

1948/9 – H0-1 A2-2 (League)

1947/8 – H4-1 A0-2 (League)

1946/7 – H4-0 A3-2 (League)

1938/9 – H2-0 A2-2 (League)

1937/8 – H4-2 A2-0 (League)

1936/7 – H2-0 A3-4 (League)

1935/6 – H0-1 A0-2 (League)

1934/5 – H2-1 A1-1 (League)

1933/4 – H2-0 A0-2 (League)

1932/3 – H1-0 A0-0 (League)

1931/2 – H0-1 A2-1 (League), A0-3 (F.A. Cup)

1930/1 – H2-1 A0-4 (League)

1929/30 – H1-2 A1-5 (League)

1928/9 – H2-2 A3-2 (League)

1927/8 – H2-0 A1-2 (League)

1926/7 – H2-0 A1-2 (League)

1925/6 – H6-1 A3-3 (League)

1924/5 – H0-1 A1-0 (League)

1923/4 – H5-1 A0-8 (League)

1922/3 – H1-2 A2-5 (League)

1921/2 – H1-1 A2-0 (League)

1920/1 – H1-2 A0-1 (League)

Summary

Overall
Matches: 96 Southend United wins: 34 Northampton Town wins: 41 Draws: 21 Southend United goals: 153 Northampton Town goals: 167 Biggest Southend United win: 6-1 (The Kursaal; 16th September 1925; Division Three [South]) Biggest Northampton Town win: 8-0 (County Ground; 22nd March 1924; Division Three [South])

In The League
Matches: 91 Southend United wins: 34 Northampton Town wins: 37 Draws: 20 Southend United goals: 144 Northampton Town goals: 152 Biggest Southend United win: 6-1 (The Kursaal; 16th September 1925; Division Three [South]) Biggest Northampton Town win: 8-0 (County Ground; 22nd March 1924; Division Three [South])

At The County Ground (1920-1994) and Sixfields (1994-)
Matches: 48 Southend United wins: 9 Northampton Town wins: 27 Draws: 12 Southend United goals: 60 Northampton Town goals: 111 Biggest Southend United win: 3-1 (County Ground; 26th April 1958; Division Three [South]) Biggest Northampton Town win: 8-0 (County Ground; 22nd March 1924; Division Three [South])

Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com

TLG Stat-Pack – The Shrimpers vs. The Cobblers

Last updated : 15 April 2004 By Robert Craven