Viva La Laurent: Frenchman Fries Swindon

Last updated : 19 October 2008 By Shrimpers24

Blues piled more misery on Swindon with a 2-1 victory at Roots Hall thanks to goals from Alex Revell and Francis Laurent.

The defeat took the Robins' league run without a win to seven matches, while the Shrimpers made it five wins from six games.

A surperise for the home crowd at the start with the news that Lee Barnard had been replaced by James Walker, the 'sicknote' curse hitting the good Lord again after such a good run in the side.

The Robins blew a great early chance when 10-goal leading scorer Simon Cox released Michael Timlin, but he was offside.

That mistake was punished in the 12th minute when Jean-Francois Christophe passed to Kevin Betsy on the right wing and his cross was delicately placed wide of Swindon keeper Peter Brezovan by Alex Revell from six yards. Revell going on to have his best game for the club, if he could cure his 'Bambi' legs he may have turned the corner for us.

Moments later, Blues skipper, and absolute inspiration at the back, Adam Barrett, headed over Brezovan's goal from a Lee Sawyer centre.

But Swindon did not let their heads drop and went onto create the better chances.

The best came when Timlin's deflected cross was turned onto the right post by goalkeeper Adam Federici and Barrett cleared off the line.

The visitors then saw Lee Peacock half-volley wide from Jack Smith's cross, before former Southend striker Billy Paynter's shot on the turn was turned over by Federici.

Peacock headed the resulting Timlin corner over but Southend had the last say off the half when Simon Francis' 30-yard effort was held by Brezovan.

The Shrimpers dominated proceedings early in the second half but were wasteful with their chances with James Walker getting the only shot on target and that was blocked by Brezovan's legs.

Swindon got on terms in the 61st minute when Timlin's cross from the left was headed back across goal by Cox at the back post and Paynter headed in from six yards, injuring himself on the process.

The Shrimpers immediately blew a gilt-edged chance to take the lead when Brezovan missed a throw-in, the alert Revell passed to Walker but the striker fired wide of the open goal.

Southend manager Steve Tilson brought on Laurent for the injured Revell on 67 minutes and three minutes later the French striker scored his first goal of the season with a glorious headed goal from 12 yards off Peter Clarke's well hit right-wing cross.

Laurent thought he had bagged a second seven minutes later but it was ruled out for offside.

Substitute Barry Corr should have salvaged a point for Swindon but he dithered in a one-on-one with Federici and the Southend keeper palmed the ball away.



Coca-Cola League One, Saturday, 18th October 2008 @ 15:00; Roots Hall
Click for Southend United squad list
Revell 11
Laurent 71
Paynter 60
Click for Swindon Town squad list
Starting Line-ups
32Federici 7
2Francis 6
15Sankofa 6
6Barrett 8
5Clarke 7
28Sawyer (McCormack 82)6
17Robson-Kanu (Grant 85)6
20Christophe 7
21Betsy 6
10Walker 5
11Revell (Laurent 67)7
Substitutes
8McCormack (Sawyer 82) 7
12Scannell
7Grant (Robson-Kanu 85) 6
29Furlong
26Laurent (Revell 67)7
10Goal Attempts11
6On Target5
4Off Target5
0Hit Woodwork1
11Offsides5
9Corners5
14Fouls19
Starting Line-ups
12Brezovan 6
6Aljofree 6
2Smith, J 6
4Timlin 7
10McGovern 6
19Pook 6
16Casal (McNamee 63)5
20Paynter (Corr 61)6
31Cox 6
25Morrison 6
32Peacock 7
Substitutes
1Smith, P
15Amankwaah
11McNamee (Casal 63)6
8Easton
9Corr (Paynter 61)6
Referee
G Ward, Surrey 6
Attendance
7965
Southend Utd. Cards
Laurent86unsporting behaviour
Swindon Town Cards
Smith, J90unsporting behaviour