SOUTHEND UNITED | 2 | vs. | 1 | BOSTON UNITED |
Mark Gower 15 | 5688 |
Andy Kirk 49 | ||
4-4-2 | TEAMS | 4-4-2 | ||
Darryl Flahavan | 3 | 7 | Nathan Abbey | |
Duncan Jupp | 7 | 5.5 | Dean West | |
Che Wilson | 7 | 7.5 | Austin McCann | |
Adam Barrett | 8 | 6.5 | Lee Beevers | |
Spencer Prior | 8.5 | 5.5 | Paul Ellender | |
Carl Pettefer | 7.5 | 5 | Danny Thomas | |
Kevin Maher | 8.5 | 5 | Tom Bennett | |
Lewis Hunt | 7.5 | 6 | David Noble | |
Mark Gower | 9 | 5.5 | Courtney Pitt | |
Tesfaye Bramble | 9.5 | 6.5 | Jason Lee | |
Wayne Gray | 9 | 7 | Andy Kirk | |
SUBS | ||||
Nicky Nicolau | Greg Strong | |||
Andy Edwards | Simon Rusk | |||
James Corbett (84) | 6.5 | 6.5 | (71) Lee Thompson | |
Michael Kightly | 7 | (54) Matt O’Halloran | ||
Freddy Eastwood | 5.5 | (81) Tom McManus |
Match Statistics |
Southend United (2)…2 Boston United (0)…1 |
Goals: Southend: Gower 15 (stabbed home from close range; inside area; timed at 14:23), Gray 22 (neat finish after pacy run; inside area; timed at 21:22). Boston: Kirk 49 (poked in from close range; inside area; timed at 48:23) |
Bookings: Southend: Maher 45 (unsporting behaviour) Boston: Bennett 26 (foul), Thomas 44 (foul), Lee 45 (foul) |
Sent-off: Southend: Flahavan 45 (deliberate handball outside the area) |
Total Goal Efforts | Shrimpers 6 Pilgrims 12 |
Shots/Headers On Target | Shrimpers 4 Pilgrims 4 |
Shots/Headers Off Target | Shrimpers 1 Pilgrims 6 |
Blocked shots | Shrimpers 1 Pilgrims 2 |
Hit Woodwork | Shrimpers 0 Pilgrims 0 |
Corners | Shrimpers 2 Pilgrims 7 |
Free-kicks | Shrimpers 23 Pilgrims 14 |
Offsides | Shrimpers 1 Pilgrims 6 |
Sundries |
Match Time | 99:39 (First half: 51:13, Second half: 48:26) |
Indicated Stoppage Time | First half: 4 minutes, Second half: 3 minutes |
Actual Stoppage Time | First half: 6:13, Second half: 3:26 |
Referee: Andy Woolmer (Northamptonshire FA) 4 out of 10 – had a sound first half, but after the sending off seemed to lose the plot! |
Attendance: 5,688 (approx. 75 away fans) |
Programme Cover: Mark Gower and Carl Pettefer celebrate the former’s strike against Kidderminster Harriers |
AND ANOTHER THING…
**Tesfaye Bramble became the first outfield player since current boss Steve Tilson to take the goalkeeper’s gloves when Darryl Flahavan was sent off just before half-time. Blues lost against Notts County at Meadow Lane by four goals to nil on 23rd March 1993.
**Darryl Flahavan was sent off for the second time in his Shrimpers career – the last time was against Rochdale at Spotland in a memorable 1-0 win in December 2001
**This was the first time since April that the Seasiders have won consecutive home matches – the last time being the 4-2 Friday night win over Scunthorpe United and then the 3-2 triumph against Darlington, at the end of a run of nine matches unbeaten at Roots Hall, despite the club setting a club record of twelve League defeats at home in 2003/4
**It is the first time since March and December 2000 that Southend have won consecutive Friday night fixtures – then Martin Carruthers inspired a 1-0 win over Macclesfield Town and Ben Abbey a solitary-goal triumph at Shrewsbury Town. However, you have to go back to March 1991 for the last time Blues won two Friday night games at Roots Hall on the trot, defeating Mansfield Town 2-1 and Tranmere Rovers 1-0 in southeast Essex
**Wayne Gray scored his first goal from open play for Southend United, his only other Shrimpers strike coming from the penalty spot in the second game of the season at Lincoln City's Sincil Bank
**It was Duncan Jupp’s 200th League appearance, with 52 of those coming whilst with the Shrimpers.
**Spencer Prior was playing in his 450th Football League encounter, with 147 coming in two separate spells with the Roots Hall side
**Mark Gower celebrated his 150th Football League match with his 24th goal in such competitions – it was the second time in his Seasiders’ career that he has netted in consecutive home matches
**Jimmy Corbett’s six minutes on the field as a substitute for Wayne Gray were his first at Roots Hall in 2004/5 – his previous four replacements had come away from home
Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com