TLG Stat-Pack – The Shrimpers vs. The Red Imps

Last updated : 10 August 2004 By Robert Craven

Duncan Jupp had a penalty saved against the Imps last season
That Roots Hall defeat back in mid-September saw United slip into the relegation zone – the 23rd spot secured after that defeat keeping them just above Carlisle United but behind Leyton Orient and Boston United on goal difference, and also in the Shrimpers joint-lowest ever League position since the 1958 rearrangement. It also marked the last time that goalkeeper Ryan Robinson was to perform for the club after he conceded an early goal to Marcus Richardson and then a thunderbolt from midfielder Richard Butcher, the second coming just seconds after Duncan Jupp had seen his penalty saved by Alan Marriott.


By the time of the return meeting, the situation had improved marginally, and Blues were participating in their final Third Division match before the LDV Vans Trophy final against Blackpool in the Millennium Stadium. Leon Constantine’s double just after the half-hour gave Southend the advantage, but after Francis Green’s early second-half strike, the Seasiders tried in vain to cling on, Simon Yeo scoring the equaliser in the third minute of stoppage time after immense pressure. Southend laid just seven points above the drop zone, and were on the same points at the time as relegated York City.


In between, Blues defeated the Red Imps 3-0 at Roots Hall in the F.A. Cup second round, with Tesfaye Bramble, Mark Gower and Jimmy Corbett all finding the back of the net in a fine team performance. Indeed, tonight’s visitors to Sincil Bank are undefeated in Cup ties against their hosts, having won 3-2 at the Lincolnshire venue in the clubs’ first meeting back in 1955/6.


Overall the clubs have met on 40 occasions, with Southend edging the lead 17-11, with 12 draws. At Sincil Bank, Blues have won six times, the most recent being in March 2002, when Steven Clark scored his only League goal for Southend in a 1-0 victory after just seven minutes. That ended a run of three straight defeats in Lincoln, that in turn having followed on from three successive wins at City in the 1980s.


Last Meeting


Lincoln City

2-2

(Attendance: 3,943)

Southend United

Francis Green 51

Simon Yeo 90+3

Tuesday 16th March 2004 @ Sincil Bank – Nationwide League Division Three

Leon Constantine 30, 36

Alan Marriott

Jamie McCombe

Paul Morgan

Ben Futcher

Peter Gain

Kevin Ellison --

Ben Sedgemore

Matthew Bloomer

Gary Fletcher

Francis Green

Marcus Richardson

8

7

7

7

6

5(78)

6(60)

6

7

7

6(78)

Darryl Flahavan
Duncan Jupp
Che Wilson
Leon Cort
Lewis Hunt
Kevin Maher
--

Mark Bentley
Carl Pettefer
--
Leon Constantine
Drewe Broughton

Lawrie Dudfield

4

5

6

5

6

6

7

7

8

5(90)

7(82)

Kevin Sandwith

Simon Yeo

Dene Cropper

Simon Weaver

David Wattley

-(78)

7(60)

-(78)

-

-

Carl Emberson

Jamie Stuart

Mark Warren

Dave McSweeney

Tesfaye Bramble

-

-

-(82)

-

-(90)


Match Report

By Mark Wallis

Leon Constantine netted a double at Sincil Bank
IF Southend United's Division Three campaign ultimately ends in disappointment come May, they will be sure to look back no further than this match as, cruising two goals ahead at half time, Southend lost their lead and were left clinging onto a point at Sincil Bank on Tuesday night...


There cannot possibly be any excuses involving thought's of Sunday's LDV Final or the such like, unfortunately Southend's baffling second half showing in Lincolnshire cost them two vital points having put themselves very much in the driving seat at half time.


Leon Constantine, who now has eighteen goals to his name this season, struck twice inside six minutes just after the half hour mark to put the Essex side two goals in front, and having dominated the first period Southend should have produced much of the same in the second half, but simply they did not.


For whatever reason Steve Tilson's men seemed to think that the match was won at two-nil and simply spent the second half sitting back on their cushion, which became even more precarious after Francis Green had pulled a goal back for the home side within just six minutes of the re-start and the Shrimpers were letting Lincoln get their renowned high balls into the penalty area time after time and Matthew Bloomer was causing all sorts of problems with his colossal long throw-ins.


However, despite the obvious two points lost, Southend have moved two places up the Division Three table, leapfrogging Cambridge United and York City to slip into seventeenth spot, but Macclesfield Town - the closest relegation zone rivals - closed the gap to just seven points with an impressive victory over Swansea City.


Southend have now in fact lost just one of their last twelve matches, but having picked up three successive draws, the Shrimpers really need to start taking maximum points from games to push themselves up the table and ensure Football League safety, which, it seems, simply three victories from the final nine matches would achieve.


Tilson stuck with the same starting eleven who earned a one-one draw with Swansea at Roots Hall three days earlier with inspirational midfielder Mark Gower still missing with what is believed to be a niggling knee injury.


Playing against a side who are more than well known for their long ball game, Southend played their hosts off the park in the first half by doing what they do best; keeping the ball on the ground and playing football.


Indeed it was United who created the early chances and Drewe Broughton saw a fierce shot well blocked for a corner following a Lawrie Dudfield cross before a dangerous Kevin Maher corner saw Leon Cort stab two attempts goalwards before Broughton eventually brought a fine stop from Imps goalkeeper Alan Marriott.


Darryl Flahavan was required to slide of his goalline to gather the ball in front of the onrushing Peter Gain on 25 minutes before some superb quick reactions from Constantine saw Southend grab the lead on 30 minutes. Tall defender Jamie McCombe's back header didn't quite have enough momentum to carry back to Marriott and Constantine was onto the loose ball in a flash and, at full stretch, poked a shot over the head of Marriott and the best diving attempts of Paul Morgan on the goalline couldn't prevent the Shrimpers from taking the lead.


However, only just had the visiting supporters finished celebrating the opening goal before all of a sudden their side were two goals to the good just six minutes later. A inswinging Maher flag kick was only cleared as far as Duncan Jupp who drove a lofted ball back into the box where Broughton headed down for Constantine to smash home a fabulous full volley from just inside the area.


As half time approached though Flahavan had to make an impressive close range save to deny Gary Fletcher at the far post following a long ball up field which was flicked-on by Marcus Richardson before the dying seconds of the first period saw Dudfield sprint into the box before cutting inside and finding his angled shot well held by Marriott.


The first half wasn't pretty for play-off chasing Lincoln, they didn't play well, but it was also on the cards that the home side would up their game in the second half and unfortunately content United weren't prepared for it.


Instead of keeping to their first half game plan and searching for the third goal which would have, without doubt, put the game beyond Lincoln's grasp, Southend just desperately hung onto their lead against a side who at every opportunity belt long balls or throw-ins into the penalty area. In all honestly Bloomer's amazing throw-ins were much more dangerous than any corner the home side could muster and unfortunately Flahavan simply couldn't cope with all the high balls and only helped in spreading panic throughout his already unsure defence.


It was a error of judgement from the Blues keeper, failing to deal with a throw from Bloomer, which brought City right back into the match only six minutes after the re-start, as, with Flahavan floundering, former Peterborough United striker Francis Green had the simply task of bundling home a loose ball from a matter of yards, he somehow almost missed with his acrobatic effort, but it was certainly 'game on' for the home side.


Southend did have their opportunities to regain their two goal lead, Carl Pettefer saw a shot deflected inches wide of the post following a quickly taken Maher free kick and a superb run from man-of-the-match Constantine eventually brought a pin-point centre which saw Dudfield's powerful and accurate header bring a world class save out of Marriott, diving to his right to tip the ball around the post. Constantine also tested Marriott with a neat turn and shot a few minutes before time, but the second half was Southend mainly on the back foot.


Thankfully for United, Lincoln didn't create an awful lot of clear cut chances, but the longer they rattled Southend the more worried the visiting supporters became.

Another mammoth Bloomer throw saw Richardson's header only kept out by the desperate goalline clearance of Cort before Flahavan's hands were warmed with a fierce snapshot from the same player.


Substitute Simon Yeo burst onto a long ball forward before stabbing a shot wide of Flahavan's post before incompetent referee Andy Penn stunned Southend by signalling for five minutes of added time onto a half without a single stoppage.


Then, three minutes into the stoppage time, came the killer blow. Yet another long punt upfield saw Yeo race clear and the nippy striker made no mistake this time, calmly slotting a shot past Flahavan and into the bottom left hand corner. The goal cued disgraceful scenes as many Lincoln supporters needlessly rushed onto the pitch to celebrate, but Southend still had another five minutes to play (yes Mr Penn found even more added time) out. Thankfully the point was successfully clung onto, but Southend will undoubtedly rue squandering their two goal half time lead.


Last Five Meetings


16th March 2004 – Lincoln City 2 (Francis Green 51, Simon Yeo 90+3) Southend United 2 (Leon Constantine 30, 36) – Nationwide League Division Three

6th December 2003 – Southend United 3 (Tesfaye Bramble 39, Mark Gower 64, James Corbett 89) Lincoln City 0 – F.A. Cup second round

16th September 2003 – Southend United 0 Lincoln City 2 (Marcus Richardson 10, Richard Butcher 78) – Nationwide League Division Three

8th March 2003 – Southend United 0 Lincoln City 1 (Ben Futcher 10) – Nationwide League Division Three

21st September 2002 – Lincoln City 2 (Peter Gain 62, Simon Yeo 71) Southend United 1 (Neil Jenkins 76) – Nationwide League Division Three


The Complete Head-to-Head Record


2003/04 – H0-2 A2-2 (League), H3-0 (F.A. Cup)

2002/03 – H0-1 A1-2 (League)
2001/02 - H1-1 A1-0 (League)
2000/01 - H1-0 A0-3 (League)
1999/00 - H2-2 A0-1 (League)
1989/90 - H2-0 A0-2 (League)
1986/87 - H1-0 A3-1 (League)

1983/84 - H2-0 A2-1 (League)
1982/83 - H2-0 A1-0 (League)
1981/82 - H0-2 A1-1 (League)
1980/81 - H0-0 A1-2 (League)
1978/79 - H2-0 A1-1 (League)
1971/72 - H2-1 A0-0 (League)
1970/71 - H1-1 A2-1 (League)
1969/70 - H2-2 A3-3 (League)
1968/69 - H3-0 A1-2 (League)
1967/68 - H2-1 A2-4 (League)
1966/67 - H3-0 A2-2 (League)
1961/62 - H0-1 A0-2 (League)

1955/56 - A3-2 (F.A. Cup)


Overall

Matches: 40

Southend United wins: 17

Lincoln City wins: 11

Draws: 12

Southend United goals: 55

Lincoln City goals: 45

Biggest Southend United win: 3-0 (Roots Hall; 6th December 2004; F.A. Cup second round, Roots Hall; 7th October 1968; League Division Four and Roots Hall; 12th November 1966; League Division Four)

Biggest Lincoln City win: 3-0 (Sincil Bank; 2nd September 2000; Nationwide League Division Three)


In The League

Matches: 38

Southend United wins: 15

Lincoln City wins: 11

Draws: 12

Southend United goals: 49

Lincoln City goals: 43

Biggest Southend United win: 3-0 (Roots Hall; 7th October 1968; Division Four and Roots Hall; 12th November 1966; Division Four)

Biggest Lincoln City win: 3-0 (Sincil Bank; 2nd September 2000; Division Three)


At Sincil Bank

Matches: 20

Southend United wins: 6

Lincoln City wins: 8

Draws: 6

Southend United goals: 26

Lincoln City goals: 32

Biggest Southend United win: 3-1 (20th September 1986; League Division Four)

Biggest Lincoln City win: 3-0 (2nd September 2000; Nationwide League Division Three)


Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com