Craven's Marks Out Of Ten

GK Bart Griemink | Minutes on pitch: 37 | Goals Conceded: 0 | Rating: 6.5

The shotstopper’s form, that disappointing clearance against Macclesfield Town on Bank Holiday Monday apart, has been very good, and so it was distressing to see him stretchered off of the field just 37 minutes into this game, ironically making a save that his understudy Darryl Flahavan may not, and I must emphasize the ‘may’, have been brave enough, or quick enough, to anticipate. Before that moment, and a couple of crosses in the ten minutes preceding it, Griemink had little to do such was the lack of effect Rushden had up front.

RB Duncan Jupp | Minutes on pitch: 90 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 6.5

A solid ninety minutes for Blues’ number one right-back. Having endured the nightmare of failing to pick out a single blue shirt on Monday, the 29-year-old had a much easier time with the sky blue number United finally decided to air at Nene Park, and actually complimented the centre-backs rather than rowing with them as he has done so far in this campaign. A number of fine interventions in the five minutes that Diamonds looked threatening, and a couple of good crosses.

CB Spencer Prior | Minutes on pitch: 90 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 7

Prior would actually have been a very good candidate for man-of-the-match at half-time, but after the way that the Shrimpers forwards pushed on after the break, and his part in Rushden’s equaliser, there was no hope that he would be given the TLG award. During the first 45 minutes he was exceptional, making three of four truly outstanding interventions to deny Kevin Braniff, who should have been a real danger on loan from Millwall and with a couple of goals in the bag thus far this year. Then, in one moment of madness, he messed it all up with a spot of generosity, dawdling on the ball and allowing Burgess to steal it from him and fire past a helpless Flahavan.

CB Adam Barrett | Minutes on pitch: 90 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 1 | Rating: 7.5

Central defensive rock Barrett had another game that exuded confidence. He made one slip up at the back, literally slipping over 25 yards out and allowing Braniff to get a sight at goal, which his partner Prior made up for with a good block. That is how partnerships work, and Barrett seems to have forged a good one with Spinner – yesterday he had little defensively to do. And while everyone saw Prior and Andy Edwards as the main set-pieces threats for Southend, it remains the former Plymouth Argyle man who deals the killer blows. In the twentieth minute it was his strong knockdown that Lawrie Dudfield flicked into the net and then in the final minute it was his pressure that forced David Bell to put the ball into his own goal.

LB Che Wilson | Minutes on pitch: 90 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 6.5

No reason to drop the East Anglian after another good ninety minutes from the Ely-born full-back. Wilson, like Jupp on the other side, had little in the way of a threat from David Bell or Andrew Burgess, and so could concentrate on his activities in pushing up the field, where he supported Mark Gower well, especially when the former Spurs man went walkabouts across the midfield. In some respects, this was the sort of game that the man he replaced, Nicky Nicolau, would have enjoyed, but he is out of the side, and at the moment looks unlikely to get back.

RM/LM Carl Pettefer | Mins on pitch: 90 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 7

Petts had a strong game on the right, and instead of doing his Houdini impersonation he managed to stay involved in the match from start to finish. Constantly linking up with Jupp down the right-hand side and also doing his defensive work well in the first half when Tilson appeared to have set up two banks of four to keep out the Rushden ‘threat’. Could still get more quality deliveries into the penalty box at times.

CM Mark Bentley | Minutes on pitch: 90 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 7.5

Whilst Maher almost plays the creative role in the middle of the park, Bentley does the box-to-box job – you are never quite sure where he is going to turn up next. So, in one instance he will be heading a cross clear in his own area, the next he will be running full pelt to offer options to a forward on the break. He went close again to scoring with a run that sent him to the bye-line and back again, whipping in a low effort that nobody, least of all Billy Turley, was expecting. May enjoy a freer reign with Lewis Hunt alongside him next Saturday.

CM Kevin Maher | Minutes on pitch: 90 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 2 | Rating: 7.5

The club captain showed that he is capable of the type of performance that stops you thinking that maybe his suspension is a good thing for the team. This was the first time this season that he has shown the sort of levels that he reached in 2003/4, and he led from the front in terms of getting stuck in. His passing was always clinical, and the delivery that he has managed to put into the box now from corners has improved substantially since the start of this term. Now he has two weeks to make sure that he is up to it again at Notts County.

LM Mark Gower | Minutes on pitch: 77 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 7

Again this was not a 100% Gower, but at least he seemed to be operating at 70% rather than half-fit. At times he showed that he is regaining the pace that, whilst may not be earth-shuddering, is enough to make defenders sit back and think. On at least two occasions he was the decoy runner for Bramble or Bentley as Dudfield broke, and that is the type of thing that he has not done so far this season. Still lackadaisical in defence.

CF Tesfaye Bramble | Mins on pitch: 77 | Goals: 1 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 8.5

The powerful front-runner gave an absolute exhibition of what a big forward should do alongside the rather more lithe Lawrie Dudfield. Bramble was the epitome of all that he should be with his build and ability, and what League Two defences should be scared of instead of simply disregardful. One run in the first half saw him bundles over in the box for a clear-cut penalty that referee Lee Probert ridiculously waved away, but he made up for it in the second with a fantastic header that gave the Diamonds defence no chance of keeping out, but there was plenty more besides.

CF Lawrie Dudfield | Minutes on pitch: 90 | Goals: 2 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 9

MotM: Back amongst the goals, and with a reinvigorated confidence. Dudfield, playing just a few miles down the road from Barton Seagrave, where he grew up, looked at home against what was undoubtedly the poorest defence United had come up against, and took his toll as early as the twentieth minute with his sublime flick onto Adam Barrett’s header. He continued to make run after run until, just four minutes after Rushden had levelled matters, he was felled (albeit outside the area) and stepped up to ram home a perfectly-placed penalty kick himself. Continued to play brilliantly, with plenty of energy, and it was his flick-on that Bell kneed into his own goal in the final seconds.

GK Darryl Flahavan | Minutes on pitch: 63 | Goals Conceded: 1 | Rating: 7

A good display from the returning goalkeeper only given his chance due to the injury to his superior Bart Griemink. That said, he grasped the opportunity with both hands and gave Southend supporters no reason to suspect his attitude or commitment. Flavs came off of his goal-line well, could be heard shouting instructions to his defence and in some ways looked almost better than Griemink in coming for, and claiming the ball. No chance for the goal, and set up his stall well to avoid being replaced again.

CF Drewe Broughton | Mins on pitch: 13 | Gls: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 6.5

Drewe came off the bench to the chorus of those singing about Bramble, but did his own job well, getting up and winning headers and generally putting himself about in the thirteen minutes that he had on the field. Was never going to have enough time to make a real impression against what was by now nine men, but made sure those nine didn’t have an easy ride.

RM James Corbett | Mins on pitch: 13 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 6.5

The forgotten man Jimmy Corbett showed some very good touches on the ball, and a fine level of intelligence on the right-hand side as he replaced Mark Gower. However, it was also clear that he was better playing neat one-touch football that haring down the flank, and the wing will not be his best position.