Darlington 0 Southend United 0

There is no doubt that it is an excellent venue, with marble fittings being most unusual, but this was the first match under floodlights at the new venue and it unveilved a huge flaw in the Stadium. The lights are simply appalling! The 100-strong band of travelling supporters were waiting for the illuminations to be turned up prior to kick-off, but when the lighting-up never came to fruition the two sides had to play under the worst lights in the Football League.

Perhaps they had an influence on both sides aswell as this really was a dire encounter, although unlike Saturday, Southend did start this match with two strikers; Drewe Broughton partnering Leon Constantine in attack in place of injured wideman Jim Corbett. David McSweeney, back from suspension, could only muster a place on the bench.

Darlington, quite amazingly, didn't manage a single effort on target, although perhaps its just as well as under these lights it was impossible to read the numbers on the home teams shirts, and thus pinpointing them for a report would have been a nightmare!

The Shrimpers wewre the only side to create any decent opportunities and the first of those arrived in just the fifth minute, a dangerous Constantine cross saw Broughton drive a half volley into the arms of ex-United triallist goalkeper Michael Price.

Mark Gower, enjoying one of his best games in a Southend shirt, shot just off target having been slipped through by Jamie Fullarton before Gower then tested Price from fully 35 yards.

Gower had another goalbound effort pushed out by Price as half time loomed with the scoresheet blank. Unfortunately a dreadfully poor second period never threatened the ink on that paper although Kevin Maher did poke a low shot at Price following good work by Constantine on 74 minutes.

Southend had two half-hearted penalty appeals with ten minutes remaining, firstly after Craig Liddle appeared to handle a Constantine cross and then when Ian Clark tripped substutute Tes Bramble. Unfortunately referee Mike Pike waved away the Shrimpers slight appeals.

Bramble, looking the threat that he often does, twice shot wide after fine runs in the closing stages, but the match fizzled out into a dire goalless draw. However in out current plight, any point is a point and coming away from home is a bigger bonus.

United now move onto their must win home match with Huddersfield Town on Saturday...

DARLINGTON (4-4-2):- Michael Price; Ryan Valentine, Joey Hutchinson, Craig Liddle, David McGurk; Ian Clark, Chris Hughes, Clark Keltie, Ashley Nicholls, Matthew Clark, Barry Conlon. Unused subs - Fabien Bossy, Danny Mellanby, Glen Robson, Mark Convery, Michael Coghlan.

SOUTHEND UNITED (4-4-2, with ratings out of ten):- Darryl Flahavan 7; Duncan Jupp 7, Jamie Stuart 7, Mark Warren 7, Leon Cort 7; Kevin Maher 7, Leke Odunsi 6, Mark Gower 8, Jamie Fullarton 7; Drewe Broughton 6 (Tesfaye Bramble 65, 7), Leon Constantine 7. Unused subs - Neil Jenkins, Jay Smith, David McSweeney, Ryan Robinson.

TLG MAN OF THE MATCH: Mark Gower.
Seeing Mark Gower on form will be a delight to see to every Southend supporter. There is no doubt that this boy has talent, he just needs to show it on a more regular basis. More performances like this certainly won't go a miss.

Attendance: 4,369 (approx 100 away fans).

Referee: Mike Pike (Barrow-in-Furness) 7 out of 10 - possibly could have awarded United a penalty in the second period, but other than that Mr Pike had a pretty quiet evening, and where referees are concerned thats usually a good sign.

Programme Cover: Darlington midfielder Ian Clark.

- SOUTHEND United have now drawn three successive matches, an incredible feat seeing as they only drew three throughout all of last season. The Shrimpers last drew three on the trot in March 2002 whilst the last goalless draw came on the final day of the 2001-02 season at Macclesfield Town, some 17 months ago.

- NOT only was this the first draw at the Reynolds Arena, it was also the first match under floodlights at the new Stadium, its just a shame they weren't a little brighter!

- DARLINGTON goalkeeper Michael Price had a trial stint at Roots Hall last season, playing for the reserves in the 2-1 defeat at Portsmouth's Fratton Park back in January of this year. The only other playing link is Quakers striker Barry Conlon, who of course spent the 1998-99 campaign with United.

- INTERESTING, referee Mike Pike was in charge of the Shrimpers last away victory, almost ten months ago, at Shrewsbury Town on January 14th.