Scunthorpe United 4 Southend United 1

Jay Smith was by far Southend's best player; he chipped in with a great battling display.

Perhaps the supporters who had made the trek to North Lincolnshire and the characterless Glanford Park, could have expected what was to come when Southend started very nervously, letting slip a lot of early corners before gifting Scunthorpe a freak opening goal after just eleven minutes. Ex-Shrimpers frontman Martin Carruthers, who was once again rediculously jeered by a section of the visiting support, burst down the right flank, and an unfortunate slip by Daryl Sutch allowed Carruthers time to whip a powerful ball into the area which Leon Cort, despite his acres of space, headed against the underside of his own crossbar, then as the ball dropped to earth it bounced into the net off of the head of the now grounded and helpless Cort.

Southend however managed to get a grip of proceedings having gone a goal behind and after Mark Rawle threatened with a neat turn and shot which zipped just wide of the post, the Shrimpers equalised with a truly classic strike just six minutes later. A Damon Searle throw-in on the left hand side was picked-up by Jay Smith who beat a man, cut inside and then unleashed a brilliant, low 20 yard drive which left Scunthorpe goalkeeper Tommy Evans floundering.

Rawle nodded a Kevin Maher corner just wide of the target on 31 minutes before Daniel Gay did very well to push a curling effort from substitute Paul Hayes around the post five minutes later. From the resulting corner however the home side regained their advantage. An Andy Dawson corner dropped to the edge of the penalty area where Ian Kilford's shot flew through a sea of players before a wicked deflection off Maher took the ball past the despairing dive of Gay.

Gay however was on hand four minutes before the interval to make a great block from Carruthers, but with 44 minutes on the clock, Scunthorpe rather unbelievably went further ahead. A poor decision by locally-based linesman Wayne McIntosh brought a rather debatable free kick from which slack Southend defending allowed spanish midfielder Alex Calvo-Garcia a free header past Gay from Kilford's swinging kick.

Unfortunately Southend's luck didn't improve after the break and after Searle had headed a Maher free kick off target, a poor afternoon refereeing wise was compounded when Lancashire official Tony Leake awarded a most strange decision - included in this report simply due it being totally baffling. Dawson, without a Southend player particularly close to him, needlessly smashed the ball out of play no more than three inches from the touchline, but somehow, rather curiously, referee Leeke awarded the throw in to the home side!

As the Shrimpers continued to press forward in a bid to get back into the game however, Rawle should have done better when he allowed home custodian Evans to block his shot having raced onto a long pnt forward before Mark Beard's fierce shot flew inches wide of the upright.

Hopefully Daniel Gay's afternoon will be remembered for his numerous saves rather than his late blooper.

Gay did well to push a Dawson effort wide of the post, but as Scunthorpe completed the rout with a fourth goal, Gay will undoubtedly hold his hands up and take the blame as his poor clearance fell straight at the feet of Hayes who raced forward before slipping a well-placed shot beyond the reach of the young keeper.

Southend, with their confidence now completely zapped, capitualated somewhat after the fourth goal and in truth could have conceded more, as Sutch in particular came to the rescue to the hack the ball clear of a packed six yard box. Southend still had half chances though, the ever hard-working Smith dragged an effort off target befotre Beard struck a shot well wide following a cross, albeit at the second attempt, by Daniel Marney. Marney, the Shrimpers young winger on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion, however had a very quiet match and if he wishes to impress both supporters and Rob Newman alike he will definately have to make his presence much more felt in future contests.

Mark Jackson saw Sutch clear his shot from underneath the crossbar before the final action in a match Southend will want to forget in a hurry saw Carruthers header well saved by Gay before Scott Brough fired the rebound wayward.

SOUTHEND (4-4-2, with ratings out of 10):- Daniel Gay 6; Mark Beard 5, Damon Searle 6, Daryl Sutch 6, Leon Cort 5; Kevin Maher 4, Jay Smith 8, Daniel Marney 3, Steven Clark 7; Tes Bramble 5, Mark Rawle 5 (Barrington Belgrave 70, 5).

SCUNTHORPE (4-4-2):- Tom Evans; Nathan Stanton, Andy Dawson, Mark Jackson, Ian Kilford; Wayne Graves (Paul Hayes 30), Alex Calvo-Garcia, Scott Brough, Jamie McCombe; Martin Carruthers, Lee Featherstone (Peter Beagrie 74).

TLG MAN OF THE MATCH: Jay Smith.
A remarkably easy decision. Apart from scoring a superbly taken goal, Jay Smith was by far the pick of a somehat poor Southend bunch. Playing alongside the error-prone Kevin Maher, Smith at times had to do the work of two men and he did it very well. Got stuck in when perhaps others would have shyed away and never gave up until the final whistle despite the scoreline.

Attendance: 3,606 (approx 175 away fans)
Referee: Tony Leake (Darwen) 5 out of 10.

Mark Wallis
www.thelittlegazette.com