GK Darryl Flahavan | Minutes on pitch: 120 | Goals Conceded: 2 | Rating: 7 |
A decent performance from Flahavan who managed to last another ninety minutes without conceding a goal. In fact Flahavan had a good game making four saves all afternoon. Darryl, who had made much of the fact that his son Aaron was watching the game, managed to stop Ugarte’s volley with ease in the first half whilst also foiling the Spanish striker in the second half after Mark Bentley had headed against his own bar. Overall Flahavan did well and although Sky Sports pathetic pundit Gary Birtles claimed that Darryl should have palmed the ball further wide for the second goal. |
RB Duncan Jupp | Minutes on pitch: 120 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 7 |
It was an average performance from Jupp who competed up and down. Jupp was not tired and run well throughout the whole of the game and extra time however Jupp’s crosses were poor throughout and were often claimed easily by Ben Foster. |
CB Spencer Prior | Minutes on pitch: 120 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 7.5 |
A solid performance from Prior who returned to Cardiff, although not the ground he plied his trade at for the city’s Football League club. Prior made few mistakes and did make one crucial interception in the first half as Llewellyn went in on goal. The Southend based player could do little about the corner that he gave away that ended with the first goal, the ball simply deflected off his heel. |
CB Adam Barrett | Minutes on pitch: 120 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 9 | |||
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LB Che Wilson | Minutes on pitch: 120 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 7 |
It was certainly an improved performance from Wilson after last season’s LDV Final however Wilson’s Cardiff hoodoo continues. After having a reasonable game, although slipping over on a few occasions, Wilson switched off as the anticipant Darren Ferguson scored to finish the off the game. |
RM/LM Carl Pettefer | Minutes on pitch: 109 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 7 |
Pettefer played well throughout after being switched from the right to the left in order to mark Carlos Edwards. Edwards influenced the game a lot less when Pettefer was switched although, again Petts did not contribute enough to the attack and he, like many others had a poor final ball. |
CM/RM Mark Bentley | Minutes on pitch: 120 | Gls: 0 | Asts: 0 | Rating: 8.5 |
Bentley certainly left Cardiff with a lot of credit as he dominated the tough midfield battle that Southend had on their hands. Bentley went backwards and forwards attempting to win every ball that was available. In fact it was his over enthusiasm that cost Bentley his tenth booking of the season as he chased back a poor Gower pass. On the whole Bentley had a great game and will be gutted not to have scored after sending Foster full stretch to his left after a free kick and shooting tamely into Foster in the second half. |
CM Kevin Maher | Minutes on pitch: 120 |Goals: 0 |Assists: 0 | Rating: 7.5 |
Whilst many of the ShrimperZone forum contingent moaned at Maher I felt the captain had a good game. Agreed, Maher looked tired at times and agreed some of his passing was a little inaccurate and over-adventurous however the committed Maher competed for the whole of the game. Maher even got himself booked when attempting to get the ball back late into extra time. Some have suggested that Maher should be stripped of the armband. Well obviously some have a selective memory about the man that has been with the club for eight years. Remember when Maher turned down Orient to stay with Southend? Remember them two games against Colchester last season? Remember the captain that has led and is still leading Southend to thirteen league games unbeaten? Obviously not! |
LM/RM Mark Gower | Minutes on pitch: 81 | Gls: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 4.5 |
Mis-control, poor passes, lack of shooting and failure to beat players. I don’t like to harp on but Gower was appalling and although one man can not be blamed for a team’s loss could well have won the game for us with a great chance. Hopefully this is rant over for the season! |
CF Freddy Eastwood | Minutes on pitch: 103 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 7 |
Eastwood did not seem quite fit and was not always in the game. He had a few moments when you thought that he may produce but he left the Millennium without a goal and with just a silver medal. |
CF Wayne Gray | Minutes on pitch: 120 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 7.5 |
Gray was asked to do way too much with Wrexham playing with three centre halves. Trying to win an aerial battle with six foot seven inches high Carlos Edwards was impossible and chasing down every misplaced pass was equally difficult. I felt Gray done well, all factors considered but did not have ‘the extra edge’ on the day. |
CM Alan McCormack | Minutes on pitch: 39 | Gls: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 7 |
McCormack battled well in extra time and looked a good player on and off the ball. Far improved from his first gam against Cheltenham McCormack will be hoping to stay at Roots Hall after his loan spell finishes. |
CF Lawrie Dudfield | Minutes on pitch: 27 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 6 |
Not a man that can be blamed but Dudfield could not get into the game at all and did not look fully fit. Dudfield will hope for more of a game either on Tuesday in the reserves or on Friday against Leyton Orient. |
LM Luke Guttridge | Minutes on pitch: 21 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 6 |
Guttridge played for just twenty one minutes of the competition and picked up his second LDV Vans Trophy runners up medal after losing in the 2002 final for Cambridge. |