Hall second half strike send Shrimpers home happy

Last updated : 28 August 2011 By westfield shrimper

It's been a long time coming but for the first time 1998 Southend United have won their first two opening League games, Scarborough, whatever happened to them, and Gillingham, we know what happened to them, seeing as you ask, we finished 18th! (See below for full details, if you want!)

As Blues boss Paul Sturrock has made clear, we should have had the points sealed before the break but the side did enough to gain the victory over a Stanley side that finished with ten men!

Luggy had already produced a shock, a few in fact, when the team was announced; skipper Chris Barker returned to central defence after injury, but with Mark Phillips failing his fitness test no surprise there, veteran Graham Coughlan stepped in for his second game in four days, while full -back Ryan Leonard made his league debut, in mid-field, and where Anthont Grant was back.

Jemal Johnson and Neil Harris dropped to the bench, and the side started in a 4-5-1 formation.

Defensive? Not on 30 seconds, as Leonard shot into the penalty area and was hauled down by Accrington's

As a result, they were awarded a penalty after just 29 seconds when Ryan Leonard was bundled to the floor by Accrington's Kevin McIntyre and Liam Dickinson showed some bottle after his Orient miss Tuesday to step up and score off the left-hand post.

More Shrimpers pressure saw Leonard, blimey he was determined to make his mark, sadly in a bad way here, when he shot over the bar from about six yards out! 

After initially doing well Ryan Hall, should have found the net but his effort was saved by Stanley keeper Sean Murdoch.

So the obvious had to happen and Accrington were handed a drew soft equaliser after 39th minutes when a free-kick to the home side from 25 yards saw Blues N0.1 Glenn Morris spill the shot by McIntyre and an unmarked Andrew Proctor tapped the ball over the line from the couple of yards.

Still, the Essex boys battled back and Grant just missed from eight yards before Morris saved well from a long range strike by Accrington's Charlie Barnett which led to the break.

The second half was harder for the away side, but it was the Shrimpers who grabbed the winner with a goal right out of the Stanley play book.

Morris kicked large and Dickinson nooded on for Hall to half volley home from 12 yards, via a Stanley defender's knee, in to the top corner.

There was some huff and puff from the Lancashire based side who had a fine home record to defend, but the loss of so many players from the last campaign may see even their manager John Coleman struggle this time around, oh how he probably wishes he's been offered the Bradford job, still might be the way Jackson is going.

Anyway, Grant did a Johnny Wikinson with four minutes left, before Morris allowed to show the travelling faithful what he could really do when he pushed Stanley sub Peter Murphy's close range effort out.

Still time for Lee Sawyer to once again show his good and bad side, will the guy ever score? A brilliant run going past Accrington player's with ease. then one on one with keeper Murdoch, he delayed, fatally, and the ball was grabbed from his feet. 

Then the handbags stuff, when McIntyre was booked for a foul on Grant, joining a long line, before deciding to take it up with referee Waugh who immediatly gave him a second yellow and he was off!

Proctor did hit the bar with a long range strike but the Shrimpers deserved their points overall, and win away again at last, that 2-0 victory at Barnet was nearly eight months ago!

Let's hope they can make it a double with moneybags Crawley next tuesday evening.

Southend United player markings:  Morris - 6, Clohessy - 6, Coughlan - 6, Barker - 7, Prosser - 7, Leonard - 6 (Harris 58 - 6), Grant - 7, Kalala - 7, Ferdinand - 6, Hall - 8 (Gilbert 90), Dickinson - 7 (Sawyer 86)

Looking good, however early!

1 Rotherham 2 4 6
2 Gillingham 2 2 6
3 Southend 2 2 6

4 Port Vale 2 2 4
5 Crawley Town 2 2 4
6 Torquay 2 1 4
7 Northampton 2 1 4

 

That 1998/99 season in all it's glory: www.sufcdb.co.uk