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TLG Stat-Pack – The Shrimpers vs. The Diamonds

Last updated : 02 September 2004 By Robert Craven

Damon Searle seemed to enjoy playing against Diamonds
Formed from the amalgamation of two sides – Rushden Town and Irthlingborough Diamonds – in the early 1990s, Rushden rose quickly through the ranks of the non-League divisions before finally gaining admittance to the Football League at the end of the 2000/1 campaign. Funded by Mr. ‘Dr. Martens’, they spent just two years in Division Three before promotion. It may not be a coincidence that since their backers’ departure, they have slumped back into the basement league.


In the first season, when Diamonds only missed out on promotion in Play-Off Final thriller against Cheltenham Town, Blues completed the double over the newly-promoted side. Damon Searle scored the solitary goal at Nene Park, whilst the fireworks were left to Roots Hall on Boxing Day – on a freezing afternoon the visitors went two goals to the good up, only for player-manager Rob Newman to substitute himself for former West Ham United youngster Steven Clark and then watch as he helped Leon Cort, Barrington Belgrave (2) and Tesfaye Bramble launch the Shrimpers into a magnificent comeback.


Next year, Diamonds at least got their revenge at Nene Park as United lost their 100% record against the Northamptonshire club. A brace from Stuart Gray was added to be Paul Hall seven minutes from the end, and in the final minute Graeme Jones compounded Blues’ supporters misery by stealing the ball for a penalty and promptly failing to net his first goal for Southend. Happily, a six-thousand-plus bumper Bonanza Day crowd enjoyed a 2-1 win for the Seasiders in February 2003, which included a screamer of a goal for Searle.


Last Meeting


SOUTHEND UNITED

2

vs.

1

RUSHDEN & DIAMONDS

Mark Rawle 4

Damon Searle 6

6453

Stephen Kelly [o.g.] 38

4-4-2

TEAMS

4-4-2

Darryl Flahavan

7

Billy Turley

Daryl Sutch

7

Marcus Bignot

Damon Searle

7

Paul Underwood

Stephen Kelly

7

Barry Hunter

Leon Cort

7

John Dempster

Kevin Maher

6

Gary Mills

Jay Smith

8

Stewart Wardley

Daniel Marney

6

David Bell

Steven Clark

6

Stuart Gray

Mark Rawle

7

Paul Hall

Dominic Foley

7

Tony Battersby

SUBS

Daniel Gay

(78) Mark Peters

Stuart Thurgood (79)

8

(46) Duane Darby

Mark Beard (74)

7

(36) Andy Burgess

Mark Salter

Andrew Sambrook

Tom Jordan

Gary Setchell


 

Match Report
by Mark Wallis

Kevin Maher picked up an inevitable booking last time the two clubs met
SOUTHEND United continued their recent resurgence in home form with a fantastic Roots Hall victory over high-flying Rushden & Diamonds. United's goals came within the first six minutes of the match...


Following a terrible performance at Wrexham seven days earlier, it hardly seemed to be the same Southend side that sprinted out of the blocks on this sunny February afternoon. By far the biggest crowd of the season - 6,453 - brought a fifteen minute delay to proceedings at Roots Hall, but once the action got under way following a series of live acts prior to kick-off, it was most certainly United who grabbed the early initiative.


Kevin Maher had already sent a low shot into the arms of Diamonds goalkeeper Billy Turley before a superb Dominic Foley through ball on four minutes picked out the well timed run of Mark Rawle who sprinted clear of the visiting defence before taking his time and placing a neat shot beyond the reach of the onrushing Turley, the ball bouncing in off of the foot of the post.


Then, just two minutes later the lead was doubled in sensational fashion. Rawle chased a ball down towards the corner flag before hooking a bicycle kick back into the penalty area where Barry Hunter headed the ball out as far as Damon Searle who, almost 40 yards from goal, crashed a simply superb half volley into the top right hand corner of the net.


On 12 minutes perhaps the Shrimpers advantage could have been extended further, when they were bizarrely denied what seemed to be a blatant penalty when Foley was wrestled to the ground by Marcus Bignot. Referee Colin Penton, who had a terrible match, waved away United's furious appeals.


Foley's fierce volley from a neat Daniel Marney cross brought a decent block out of Diamonds defender John Dempster.


The visiting team soon got into the match themselves however and began to cause Southend problems. Darryl Flahavan did well to hold onto a long range David Bell effort before Hunter headed a Bell corner inches wide.


Flahavan did ever so well to tip a Bell free kick over the crossbar before Rushden pulled a goal back in rather freak circumstances. A dangerous Bell cross was missed by a series of Diamonds attackers before Hunter's header dropped to the feet of United defender Stephen Kelly who, at the second attempt, had the misfortunate to slice the ball into his own net at the far post.


The second half saw United somewhat on the back foot as Rob Newman's men seemed content to hold onto their slender advantage. Paul Hall screwed a shot badly wide following a Bignot cross on 58 minutes before, at the other end, Cort headed a Maher free kick at Turley.


Foley ran onto a neat Mark Beard through ball, but having broken clear of the Rushden rearguard, the loanee striker shot wide of the target. Rawle was then put in an identical situation, but having rounded Turley, the quick striker was his shot blocked by Mark Peters.


The last action of an exciting encounter then saw Foley curl a 25 yard free kick at Turley.


Complete Head-to-Head Record


22nd February 2003 – Southend United 2 (Mark Rawle 4, Damon Searle 6) Rushden & Diamonds 1 (Stephen Kelly [o.g.] 38) – League Division Three

7th September 2002 – Rushden & Diamonds 3 (Stuart Gray 9 [pen], 33, Paul Hall 83) Southend United 0 – League Division Three

26th December 2001 – Southend United 4 (Leon Cort 51, Barrington Belgrave 59, 74, Tesfaye Bramble 67) Rushden & Diamonds 2 (Garry Butterworth 5, Scott Partridge 35) – League Division Three

8th September 2001 – Rushden & Diamonds 0 Southend United 1 (Damon Searle 75) – League Division Three


Summary


Overall

Matches: 4

Southend United wins: 3

Rushden & Diamonds wins: 1

Draws: 0

Southend United goals: 7

Rushden & Diamonds goals: 6

Biggest Southend United win: 4-2 (Roots Hall; League Division Three; 26/12/01)

Biggest Rushden & Diamonds win: 3-0 (Nene Park; League Division Three; 07/09/01)


In The League

Matches: 4

Southend United wins: 3

Rushden & Diamonds wins: 1

Draws: 0

Southend United goals: 7

Rushden & Diamonds goals: 6

Biggest Southend United win: 4-2 (Roots Hall; League Division Three; 26/12/01)

Biggest Rushden & Diamonds win: 3-0 (Nene Park; League Division Three; 07/09/01)


At Nene Park

Matches: 2

Southend United wins: 1

Rushden & Diamonds wins: 1

Draws: 0

Southend United goals: 1

Rushden & Diamonds goals: 3

Biggest Southend United win: 1-0 (League Division Three; 08/09/02)

Biggest Rushden & Diamonds win: 3-0 (League Division Three; 07/09/01)


Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com