Pre-Season Friendly Game Three: Southend United 2-1 Leyton Orient

Last updated : 22 July 2006 By Adam Duffill

Hooper had only been on the pitch thirteen minutes having replaced Freddy Eastwood, and made his intentions clear to Steve Tilson and Paul Brush, coolly rolling the ball through the legs of Orient ‘keeper Glynn Gardner and into the back of the net with time running out.

Prior to the late drama was a mediocre game of football that was lively in flashes, especially when both sides replaced numerous tiring legs around the sixty minute mark. Freddy Eastwood had the games first chance, and took it with aplomb, latching onto Kevin Maher's chipped pass over the wall before volleying the ball past the helpless goalkeeper. However, whilst the Southend faithful and playing staff were celebrating the well-worked free-kick, the linesman had his flag raised. I knew it was too good to be true!

The Blues didn't have time to dwell on their anger at the disallowed goal however, as Matthew Lockwood soon afterwards rattled Darryl Flahavan's crossbar from 25-yards with one of his curling free-kicks.

Southend were back on the attack moments later as Simon Francis' pull back from the byline was set-up perfectly for Kevin Maher, who stuck a low-precision drive towards the bottom corner, which Glynn Gardner did superbly well to touch wide of the post.

Despite the Shrimpers early dominance, it came to the surprise of many that the away team in fact took the lead just after 20 minutes. A rare mistake by new right-back Simon Francis allowed Orient striker Jabo Ibehre to cross for his striking partner Gary Alexander to side foot high beyond the reach of Darryl Flahavan and into the back of the net.

Steve Tilson's men looked eager to get back on terms, Freddy Eastwood hitting the frame of the goal for the third game in a row – this time the inside of Gardner's post having beaten two defenders.

Following numerous changes at half-time, the second half kicked off with Southend shooting towards the South Stand and Orient towards their away fans in the North Bank. And it was the latter that very nearly doubled their lead in the game, as Wayne Corden's delicate chip looped over Steve Collis who had replaced Flahavan at the interval and as it looked goalbound, Simon Francis made up for his first half error by hooking the ball off of the line.

John Mackie, the visitors captain, then powered a downwards header towards goal which was diverted wide brilliantly by Collis, before Freddy Eastwood was hunting goals again – heading Steven Hammell's free-kick just wide having beaten Mackie to the ball.

Eastwood would not be denied for much longer however, as he ended a long run forward with a fizzing shot that flew into the goalkeeper's right hand corner, bringing the home fans to their feet and relief to Freddy's face.

Immediately after the goal, Eastwood was replaced by former Grays striker Gary Hooper, who in fact played against the Shrimpers this time last year in a friendly match for his former employers.

Hooper, who was 18 in January, couldn't have wished for a better debut. After seeing Lewis Hunt somehow clear a goalbound shot off the line, Luke Guttridge's quick thinking allowed Hooper to run through the defence unchallenged before coolly slotting the ball through the goalkeeper's legs and into the net. All this in the 92nd minute of the game.

Teams:

Southend United (4-4-2)

Darryl Flahavan

Simon Francis

Spencer Prior

Adam Barrett

Che Wilson

Lee Bradbury

Kevin Maher (C)

Jay Smith

Mark Gower

Freddy Eastwood

Kemal Oujdide

Subs:

Steve Collis (on for Flahavan 46)

Lewis Hunt (on for Prior 46)

Jamal Campbell-Ryce (on for Bradbury 46)

Luke Guttridge (on for Smith 46)

Steven Hammell (on for Wilson 68)

Mitchell Cole (on for Gower 68)

Abderrahmane Mssassi (on for Maher 68)

James Lawson (on for Oujdide 68)

Gary Hooper (on for Eastwood 78)

Leyton Orient (4-4-2)

Glenn Morris

Justin Miller

John Mackie (C)

Adam Tann

Matthew Lockwood

Shane Tudor

Donny Barnard

Craig Easton

Daryl McMahon

Gary Alexander

Jabo Ibehre

Subs:

Glynn Gardner (on for Morris 46)

Brian Saah (on for Tann 46)

Joe Keith (on for McMahon 46)

Wayne Corden (on for Tudor 60)

Michael Simpson (on for Barnard 60)

Aiden Palmer (on for Lockwood 68)

Paul Connor (on for Alexander 68)

Jason Demetriou (on for Easton 75)

 

Attendance: 2,450

Adam Duffill
www.thelittlegazette.com