Boston United 0 Southend United 2

With performances such as this, from which Blues really should have come away with a far greater winning margin, Football League survival will not be an issue come May and the Shrimpers will be looking to continue a fine run of form into the new season. However an integral part of any success would be keeping striker Lawrie Dudfield. Dudfield played the last match of his inital one month's loan from Northampton Town this evening, but Tilson will be looking not only to extend the frontman's loan but to sign him on a permanent basis, Dudfield himself has also expressed a wish to remain on the Essex coastline.

Southend were seemingly in control of this match - watched by Boston's third highest crowd of the season, 2,780, who flocked to York Street to welcome back manager Steve evans who has just completed an eighteen month ban from football for financial irregularities - and took the lead in only the sixth minute. A superb Mark Gower free kick from the left flank was drifted across the penalty area and Bentley rose high to head home his first goal for the Club, in off of the foot o the left hand post.

Moments later Dudfield stabbed a shot just over the top and Gower also fired high following a neat Leon Constantine centre before Darryl Flahavan had to suddenly be alert to keep hold of a Mark Greaves header from a Neil Refearn free kick before, on fifteen minutes, came the home sides best chance of the evening when Greaves' header, from a Redfearn corner, bounced off the top of the crossbar.

Southend soon regained their intiative, Kevin Maher shot just over the top of Paul Bastock's crossbar after good work by Carl Pettefer and Gower before a Gower free kick was laid off to the skipper who drove a shot just off target from 20 yards.

The second half, despite an occassional burst forward from the home side, saw virtual complete domination from the Seasiders and only five minutes after the re-stsrt a Pettefer run caused havoc in the Pilgrims defence and the ball eventually deflected off Stuart Balmer straight to Constantine who tested Bastock with a low drive.

Neil Jenkins did ever so well after coming on as a substitute for Mark Gower, and sealed the match with his first goal of the season.

Southend then proceeded to make more than the most of their one-man advantage and on 65 minutes it was Jenkins who doubled the Shrimpers advantage. Pettefer did brilliantly well on the right before sending a fantastic cross to the far post where Jenkins had the easiest job in the world to nod the ball in at the far post for his first goal of the campaign.

Nine minutes later Flahavan did well to palm away a fierce effort from midfielder Tom Bennett, but Southend continued to press forward, and to be honest were probably disappointed not to have come away with a much larger victory.

Bentley curled an effort into the arms of Bastock before the shaven-headed goalkeeper made a great double stop to deny first Constantine and then Dudfield.

Then, on 82 minutes referee Michael Dean denied the Shrimpers a blatant penalty when Chapman shoved Dudfield in the back in the penalty area. However, not disappointed, still Southend pressed and Jenkins saw a great effort pushed over the top by Bastock before a magical 50 yard run by Con stantine saw Boston defenders continue to bavk off the tall striker before Bastock managed to push an eventual shot around the post.

The dying stages saw a angled Dudfield shot, following a Che Wilson run and cross, drift into the arms of Bastock before another superb Constantine sprint saw a shot slipped inches wide of the post.

A great performance from Southend on a damp evening gave the 207 travelling supporters a lot to shout about and hopefully has kick-started Blues into a surge away from the relegation spots...

Mark Wallis
www.thelittlegazette.com