Southend United 0 Boston United 2

Wignall did finally employ leading goalscorer Leon Constantine in a forward position, but unfortunately there was no improvement in the United performance with the whole side a long way below par. Some of the players, particularly Mark Gower, Jamie Stuart and David McSweeney, who continually swapped positions throughout the match seemed simply bamboozled by Wignall's tactics and very few of the squad seem happy playing for the manager.

Southend have now incredibly lost five of their eight home matches this season, have won just once in ten Leagues matches and even failed to beat Carlisle United - bottom of the table with just five points - despite having been handed a two goal lead.

Of course the fact that the Cumbrians are safely propping up the Football League is irrelevant because this is the second season in which two teams lose their League status at the end of the campaign, and that second relegation spot is a place that not only are the Shrimpers currently occupying, but also a position Wignall's side don't look likely to move out of at the moment.

The match itself was a dire affair, given the current plights of both sides it was expected to be, and unfortunately the only clear cut chances fell to the visitors from Lincolnshire. However, it was the home side who got the ball rolling on nine minutes, Mark Gower's free kick was nodded back by Leon Cort where Jay Smith was on hand to volley over Paul Bastock's crossbar.

Three minutes later though and a strong run by former Shrimpers forward Graeme Jones resulted in a high cross was saw Stuart Douglas flick the ball onto Tom Bennett who smashed an angled shot inches wide of the far post.

Another Gower free kick saw an unmarked Drewe Broughton somehow head off target with virtually an open goal in front of him before, at the other end, Jones drove a 25 yard effort wide of Darryl Flahavan's upright.

A Constantine lay-off resulted in Gower shooting wide before Bennett's free kick was deflected just wide of the post for a corner and from the following flag kick, Simon Weatherstone's curling delivery was headed into Flahavan's arms by Jones.

Even young prodigy Michael Kightly found it difficult to make an impression during what really was a terrible second half for the home side, however, just five minutes after the Shrimpers had managed their first effort on target - courtesy of Gower's poke at Bastock - Boston grabbed the lead on 59 minutes.

Duncan Jupp seemed to give up whilst chasing down a ball towards the touchline and it was duly intercepted by Lee Beevers who charged upfield before sending a low ball into the penalty area which caused chaos in the Southend defence before Lee Thompson, somehow left alone just ten yards from goal, had the simple task of slotting a shot past Flahavan and into the bottom left hand corner.

On 76 minutes the game was put beyond all doubt when the lead was doubled. A hefty ball forward from a free kick by keeper Bastock caught out the home defence and Weatherstone nipped in to poke the ball over the head of the advancing Flahavan.

Southend did manage half a chance when substitute Tes Bramble neaded a Jupp cross at Bastock, but the Shrimpers had to play out the final few minutes of the match with ten men after Jamie Fullarton - with Wignall having used all of his three permitted substitutes - limped out of the action.

As time ticked away and the frustrated crowd got all the more impatient, Gower's well struck free kick clipped the top of the crossbar but that was the closest Southend would come on what was a dismal evening.

Mark Wallis
www.thelittlegazette.com