Pre-Season Game Four: Southend United 2-1 Portsmouth

However, Portsmouth didn't seem that strong at all – especially defensively speaking – as Freddy Eastwood took just 12 seconds to unlock the Portsmouth defence and arrow home a grass-cutting shot that beat the outstretched hands of Dean Kiely. Svetoslav Todorav passed the ball back to John Viafara, whose short pass was well anticipated and intercepted by Lee Bradbury. From there the striker come midfielder passed to Eastwood who did the rest – leaving everyone in the stadium stunned.

It really should have been two for United minutes later, as Jamal Campbell-Ryce sped to the byline and pulled the ball back to Luke Guttridge, who somehow placed his shot wide of the post from eight yards with the Pompey defence no-where to be seen.

Portsmouth finally began to come to life after about ten minutes, as Pedro Mendes almost reminded the 3,681 spectators how he almost saved Portsmouth with some spectacular strikes, this time powering a half-volley just inches wide of Darryl Flahavan's right hand post.

The away side then thought that they had levelled proceedings as Todorov escaped the attentions of Spencer Prior to volley home from close range, only to look in horror as the linesman confirmed that the former Manchester City defender Prior had in fact played the striker offside.

Bulgarian frontman Tododrov then found himself onside in a similar position but somehow scuffed his shot wide following a well-measured chipped pass from Sean Davis.

Freddy Eastwood then latched onto a loose ball on 32 minutes and ran towards the away teams back four, beating three before sliding a low powerless shot wide of Kiely's far post, with Lee Bradbury disappointed that the ball hadn't come his way.

However, after Matty Taylor had seen his left-footed strike disallowed, it was Bradbury's turn to have an attempt on goal. He took it with aplomb. Steven Hammell's out-swinging corner was met by Bradbury at the front post, and his header flew across towards the over corner before finally reaching the back of the net via a defenders desperate attempt to clear the ball away. Bradbury certainly was happy – even if it was against one of his old clubs, as the Blues went in at the break two up.

The second half saw a surprising no changes as Steve Tilson looked to step up the players time on the pitch as the pre-season comes to a close.

The Fratton Park outfit suddenly came to life in the second half as Sean Davis' powerful shot was well parried away by Flahavan, before Gary O'Neil missed the target when he really should have scored.

Talking of ‘should have scored', moments earlier Bradbury wasted a superb opportunity to double his tally in the game as he found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper following Freddy Eastwood's pass, however the striker could only shoot straight at Kiely.

Portsmouth edged their way back into the game after 57 minutes, as Lomana Lou-Lou's curling free-kick rebounded off the underside of the crossbar, and with Southend slow to react, Croatian midfielder Ivica Mornar tucked the ball into the net with Flahavan helpless. Mornar had been on the pitch just two minutes, replacing Pedro Mendes.

The Blues really should have made it 3-1 three minutes after the goal. Kevin Maher's corner was headed over towards the byline and as it seemed likely to go out for a corner, Freddy Eastwood leapt at the ball like a lion for food, pulling the ball back for the Portsmouth favourite who mis-hit his shot wide from four yards.

Matty Taylor thought he'd snatched a draw for the visitors in the dying moments, however his back post header crept agonisingly wide of the post as Southend held on to secure a Premiership scalp, albeit a pre-season scalp, but a good victory all the same.

Teams:

Southend United:

Daryl Flahavan (off for Steve Collis 76)
Simon Francis
Spencer Prior
Adam Barrett (off for Lewis Hunt 65)
Kevin Maher (off for Jay Smith 81)
Freddy Eastwood
Mitchell Cole (off for Mark Gower 45)
Lee Bradbury (off for James Lawson 81)
Luke Guttridge
Jamal Campbell-Ryce (off for Gary Hooper 65)
Steven Hammell (off for Che Wilson 76)

Portsmouth:

Dean Kiely (Jamie Ashdown 45),
Glen Johnson,
Noe Pamarot (Linvoy Primus 55)
Dejan Stefanovic (Andy O'Brien 55)
Andy Griffin
Gary O'Neil (Richard Hughes 71)
Pedro Mendes (Ivica Mornar 55)
Sean Davis
Matthew Taylor
Lomana Lua-Lua
Svetoslav Todorov (Berlin 65)

Attendance 3,681
Referee: Mr. M. Thorpe

By Adam Duffill
www.thelittlegazette.com