1. Footymad
  2. Shrimpers Mad
  3. Shrimpers Latest
  4. Shrimpers News

TLG Stat-Pack – The Shrimpers vs. The Shrews

Last updated : 01 November 2004 By Robert Craven

Jay Smith is still waiting to play his first game against the Shrews since scoring the January 2003 winner
United’s January 2003 trip to Gay Meadow was the last match Southend won before an eight-and-a-half-month away nightmare started, with thirteen straight defeats setting a club record and fifteen matches eventually passing without a win. Jay Smith scored the only goal of the game in what was the last time the Shrimpers visited Shropshire before last week, twenty minutes into the match that started the Shrews slump into the bottom two, and just days after they had defeated Everton in the FA Cup for a famous victory. Kevin Street and Wayne Gray cancelled each other out ten days ago.


That is Southend’s singular success in the past five meetings as they slumped 3-2 and 2-0 at home as well as drawing 0-0, and lost 2-0 at Gay Meadow. The previous win had also been by a solitary strike, that by Ben Abbey in the last game before Christmas 2000. Neil Jenkins and Tesfaye Bramble scored the goals in that 3-2 Hall defeat – and the latter should have had Matty Redmile sent off when the referee brandished simply a yellow after denying him a clear run at goal in the dying seconds.


It is a far cry from the days when the home side in this fixture failed to score in just two of the opening 36 meetings – a stretch of 25 years. The biggest win for both sides is 7-1, with the two teams being at home respectively in 1964 (Southend) and 1952 (Shrewsbury) when the event occurred. Blues also won another fixture 5-0 at Roots Hall, Town a game 6-0 at Gay Meadow, with Southend’s biggest away win being 3-1 on two occasions.


The clubs have met just once in cup competitions, and never in the LDV Vans Trophy or Associate Members Cup, a result of the Shrews more often than not being in the Northern Section. Gary Moore and Micky Beesley scored in a 1969 2-2 League Cup draw at Gay Meadow, but in the second round replay Beesley again and Sammy McMillan scoring the goals in a 2-0 Roots Hall win.


Last Meeting


SHREWSBURY TOWN

1

CCL2

1

SOUTHEND UNITED

Kevin Street 15

3719

Wayne Gray 59

4-4-2

TEAMS

4-4-2

Scott Howie

5.5

7.5

Darryl Flahavan

Darren Moss

6

3.5

Duncan Jupp

Darren Tinson

6.5

5

Che Wilson

Stuart Whitehead

6.5

4.5

Spencer Prior

Jake Sedgemore

6

5.5

Adam Barrett

Sam Aiston

7

6.5

Mark Gower

Martyn O’Connor

6

5

Kevin Maher

Kevin Street

7.5

7

Lewis Hunt

Ryan Lowe

7

5.5

Carl Pettefer

Luke Rodgers

5

6

Freddy Eastwood

Duane Darby

5.5

8

Wayne Gray

SUBS

Joe Hart

Ryan Clarke

David Edwards

Andy Edwards

David Walton

6

(76) Mark Bentley

John McGrath

Lawrie Dudfield

David Fox (65)

6

James Corbett


Match Report

By Mark Wallis

Wayne Gray was celebrating at Gay Meadow
SOUTHEND United grabbed a point from managerless Shrewsbury Town at Gay Meadow on Saturday afternoon as Wayne Gray levelled for Steve Tilson’s side in the second half…


Shrewsbury, who saw manager Jimmy Quinn resign the previous day having steered the Shropshire side back into the Football League at the first attempt last season following their 2003 relegation, were desperate to chalk up three points to lift themselves off the bottom and a slippery Gay Meadow surface, made life more than tricky for United.


Lengthy spells of rain had seen the banks of the River Severn, adjacent to Gay Meadow, rise the pitch become sodden and as Southend struggled in the first half it was clearly the home side who adapted quicker to the difficult conditions.


Following on from Tuesday evening’s 3-2 defeat at Scunthorpe United, Mark Bentley was available again following his three-match ban, but Lewis Hunt was preferred in midfield whilst goalscorer Jimmy Corbett made way for the fit-again Mark Gower.


It was in fact the visitor’s from Essex who grabbed the first opportunity with ten minutes on the clock when Wayne Gray dragged a low Freddy Eastwood cross wide of the post.


However, on 15 minutes the home side stole the lead. Luke Rodgers, a continuous thorn in United’s side, particularly with his ‘sporting’ tactics, laid a ball off to Kevin Street who found space to fire an unstoppable 25 yard shot into the top left hand corner giving Darryl Flahavan no chance. (1-0)


After the goal, a less than entertaining opening period saw further opportunities only arrive through Town’s Jake Sedgemore, skidding a shot wide of the upright, and Shrimpers playmaker Hunt, who stabbed a Carl Pettefer centre just off target.


Half-time: Shrewsbury Town 1 Southend United 0


Following the interval, and attacking their own supporters at the Station End, Southend came more into the match and after Sedgemore had curled a free kick just off target two minutes after the re-start, it was Tilson’s men who made the majority of the running.


A long, determined run from Gower saw a resultant shot well held by shot-stopper Scott Howie before Hunt nodded a Kevin Maher free kick over the top.


The equaliser arrived with 59 minutes on the clock, Pettefer sending in an inch perfect cross from the right flank for Gray to nod past Howie from six yards. (1-1)


Moments later, with Southend in the ascendancy for the first time, Eastwood’s centre saw Hunt’s effort drop just wide.


However, with Blues finishing the game trying to cling onto to a point, Flahavan did well to hold onto Duane Darby’s fierce drive.

Full-time: Shrewsbury Town 1 Southend United 1


Tesfaye Bramble scored in the last Roots Hall meeting
Last Five Meetings


23rd October 2004 – Shrewsbury Town 1 (Kevin Street 15) Southend United 1 (Wayne Gray 59) – League Division Three

15th January 2003 – Shrewsbury Town 0 Southend United 1 (Jay Smith 20) – League Division Three

17th August 2002 - Southend United 2 (Jenkins 9, Bramble 81 [pen]) Shrewsbury Town 3 – League Division Three
13th April 2002 - Southend United 0 Shrewsbury Town 2 – League Division Three
24th November 2001 - Shrewsbury Town 2 Southend United 0 – League Division Three


The Complete Head-to-Head Record


2004/05 – A1-1 (League)

2002/03 – H2-3 A1-0 (League)

2001/02 – H0-2 A0-2 (League)

2000/01 – H0-0 A1-0 (League)

1999/2000 – H3-2 A1-2 (League)

1998/99 – H2-1 A1-3 (League)

1990/91 – H2-0 A1-0 (League)

1978/79 – H0-1 A0-2 (League)

1975/76 – H1-3 A1-3 (League)

1973/74 – H2-0 A2-1 (League)

1972/73 – H2-0 A0-1 (League)

1969/70 – H2-0 A2-2 (League Cup)

1965/66 – H2-0 A0-3 (League)

1964/65 – H1-0 A3-1 (League)

1963/64 – H7-1 A2-2 (League)

1962/63 – H3-1 A0-6 (League)

1961/62 – H1-1 A1-1 (League)

1960/61 – H1-1 A2-2 (League)

1959/60 – H2-1 A3-1 (League)

1957/58 – H5-0 A1-1 (League)

1956/57 – H1-2 A0-0 (League)

1955/56 – H1-0 A1-1 (League)

1954/55 – H4-1 A3-2 (League)

1953/54 – H3-0 A1-2 (League)

1952/53 – H2-2 A1-7 (League)

1951/52 – H2-2 A1-0 (League)


Summary


Overall

Matches: 51

Southend United wins: 23

Shrewsbury Town wins: 15

Draws: 13

Southend United goals: 81

Shrewsbury Town goals: 67

Biggest Southend United win: 7-1 (Roots Hall; League Division Three; 04/04/64)

Biggest Shrewsbury Town win: 7-1 (Gay Meadow; Division Three (South); 13/12/52)


In Cup competitions

Matches: 2

Southend United wins: 1

Shrewsbury Town wins: 0

Draws: 1

Southend United goals: 4

Shrewsbury Town goals: 2

Biggest Southend United win: 2-0 (Roots Hall; League Cup; 08/09/69)

Biggest Shrewsbury Town win: none


At Grainger Road (1951-1955) and Roots Hall (1955-)

Matches: 25

Southend United wins: 15

Shrewsbury Town wins: 5

Draws: 5

Southend United goals: 51

Shrewsbury Town goals: 21

Biggest Southend United win: 7-1 (Roots Hall; League Division Three; 04/04/64)

Biggest Shrewsbury Town win: 3-1 (Roots Hall; League Division Three; 27/09/75)


Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com