Boston United 1 Southend United 0

Unfortunately Southend, who have now lost nine of their ten away matches since the turn of the year - they managed a single victory at bottom -of-the-table Shrewsbury Town back in mid-January - never looked like putting an end to that sequence which brought the Shrimpers 24th defeat of the campaign; by far more than any other team in this Division.

Southend were not the worst team in this match however, but that can only be said because their opposition from Boston were hardly world-beaters themselves and it was hardly surprisingly that a dire, scrappy first half finished goalless. Veteren midfielder Neil Refearn twice saw efforts fly wide of the post in the opening stages but that was about it until Southend's best chance saw Leon Cort head a Kevin Maher corner inches wide of goalkeeper Paul Bastock's post on nineteen minutes.

Paul Ellender somehow squandered a glorious chance for the home side on the half hour mark when he hit a shot off target from only four yards following a Simon Weatherstone cross.

Amazingly referee Scott Mathieson, who, to be honest was appaling throughout, took now action when substitute Stuart Douglas, within seconds of coming on for Richard Logan, blatantly and delibearately elbowed Damon Searle in the face two minutes before half. But with Boston somehow still playing with their full set of players, striker Peter Duffield saw his fierce shot tipped onto the top of the crossbar by Darryl Flahavan to bring the first period to a close.

From a Southend perspective, the second half was much better with Wignall's team the better of the two sides and enjoying lengthy spells of possession. However, as is so often the case the Essex side failed to take advantage of the dominance qnd although often threatening an onslaught at goal, never actually managed an effort on target throughout the entire match.

It was Douglas though who created the first opportunity after the break, quickly turning and firing an angled shot straight into the arms of Flahavan before Mark Rawle, who joined the Shrimpers from Boston in February 2001, nodded a Brett Darby cross jusat wide of Bastock's goal.

Neil Jenkins fired over the top after a Maher corner was only partially cleared on 66 minutes and then, just a minute later Mathieson denied Southend what appeared to be a blatant penalty. Maher lobbed a ball into the box and as Rawle chased it down he was wrestled to the floor by Stuart Blamer. Incredibly the incompetent referee remained motionless. And then, a further two minutes later Mathieson failed to spot Ellender giving Gavin Strachan a full punch in the face which very nearly knocked the Southend midfielder to the floor.

It was Ellender who then headed a Redfearn free kick wide of the target before Rawle headed a Searle cross past the upright on 77 minutes.

The home side came close to taking the lead on 79 minutes when substutute Mark Angel thundered a free kick against the crossbar, but six minutes later, and typically in controversial style, Bostopn did grab their winner and it came from the penalty spot. A high looping ball upfield saw David McSweeney underhit a backpass, but Flahavan did very well to bravely dive at the feet of David Town and push the ball away, but in a very unsporting manner Town took adavantage of the incident and flun himself to the floor, in the process conning Mathieson who had no hesistation in pointing to the spot without even thinking. One assumes that the reason the Official only booked Flahavan and didn't send him off as the law would suggest, was because, on second thoughts, he had made an incorrect decision.

However once the penalty had been given there was no going back and Angel sent Flahavan the wrong way with a neatly taken shot into the top right hand corner.

Southend's best reply came in the first minute of stoppage time when Beard drove a shot into the side netting following a Maher flick on, but in the end it all meant yet another away day defeat for Southend who have just one jaunt left - to Exeter City on the final day following Saturday's home match with Bury.

BOSTON UNITED (3-5-2):- Paul Bastock; Paul Ellender, Stuart Balmer, Matt Hocking; Simon Weatherstone (Maek Angel 62), Ben Chapman, Simon Rusk, Neil Redfearn, Tom Bennett; Richard Logan (Stuart Douglas 42), Peter Duffield (David Town 79). Unused subs - Peter Costello, Nick Conroy.

SOUTHEND UNITED (4-4-2, with ratings out of ten):- Darryl Flahavan 6; Mark Beard 6, Damon Searle 6, David McSweeney 6, Leon Cort 8; Kevin Maher 6, Gavin Strachan 4, Brett Darby 4 (Steven Clark 86), Neil Jenkins 6; Mark Salter 5 (Barrington Belgrave 86), Mark Rawle 7. Unused subs - Stuart Thurgood, Ronnie Henry, Daniel Gay.

TLG MAN OF THE MATCH: Leon Cort.
Once again few people stood out in what was certainly a very average performance, but Boston, just as they did at Roots Hall in December - when of course Cort grabbed a hat-trick of headed goals - could not compete with the Blues tall defender who won everything in the air and also came the closest to grabbing a Southend goal, typically with his head, in the first half. Undoubtedly the Shrimpers player-of-the-season, it would be a scandal if any other player claimed the award.

Attendance: 3,247 (approx 180 away fans).
Referee: Scott Mathieson (Stockport) 2 out of 10.

Mark Wallis
www.thelittlegazette.com