However, this is the fourth time I can recall this happening at Roots Hall and everytime we end up changing our kit whem surely it's the away side's problem so they should be forced to wear our change colours. Still it's the weird and wacky world of Southend United I suppose.

Things then got worse when referee Keith Hill ran out with the two sides. A lot of people inside Roots hall remember Mr Hiull for his incompetance and nobody expected him to be any different today - and indeed he wasn't.

Then, with United needing a good start under the belts a side which remained unchanged from that which started - but certainly didn't finish - at Swansea City the previous week were put immediately on the back foot.

Goalkeeper Darryl Flahavan was called upon to make some important early saves as he kept out Wayne Carlisle's header from a Ryan Williams cross before doing well to block Junior Agogo's effort after the pacey Rovers striker had been played through on goal by Graham Hyde.

At the other end big shot-stopper Kevin Miller bravely denied Tes Bramble, diving at the United frontman's legs before Flahavan impresively pished a long range curling shot from Lewis Haldabe around the post. The visitors soon grabbed the advantage though when, in the sixteenth minute a cross from ex-Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Hyde caused mayhem in the Blues box and despite Haldane appearing to bring the ball down with his hand he knocked it across goal where Carlisle was on hand to poke into an unguarded net from a matter of yards.

After going behind however United seemed to shake thewmselves into life and response, which was almost immediate, brought a bombardment on the Rovers goal which lasted for the remainder of the match.

Michael Kightly fired inches over the crossbar following a David McSweeney pull back before, on 24 minutes, the Shrimpers were awarded their tenth penalty of the season when Dave Savage hauled Bramble to the floor. After a huge delay involving Hill continuosly nagging everybody he could find as well as the wind blowing the ball off the spot, Mark Gower stepped up and buried a poor penalty right into the midrift of Miller. It was the Shrimpers seventh spot-kick miss of the campaign and there was still more agony to come.

Mark Gower missed the first of two Shrimpers spot-kicks.

A Kevin Maher free kick saw Miller make a fabulous stop from Constantine's head before Kightly's stab appeared to cross the line before being hacked clear but neither referee nor his assistant awarded a goal.

As a result Steve Tilson's men went in rather undeservedly a goal down at the break, but if anyone thought Southend dominated in the first half, I'm not sure how they'd view a second period in which Rovers barely got out of their own half.

Ex-Shrimper Ijah Anderson came to the rescue just 44 seconds after the re-start when he hacked a Bramble header, from a Gower cross, off the line before United were denied two of the most blatant penalties anybody is likely to see within the same minute. Firstly Bramble's strong charge at goal was brought to a halt when Anderson unceremoniously chopped down both of the big strikers legs without getting anywhere near the ball and then Hill did award a foul when Edwards climbed all over Bramble, but amazingly gave a free kick despite the foul taking place at least a yard inside the box.

However, no matter how many set-backs United's were handed they still didn't give up and Gower sent a low volley into Miller's arms from an accurate Maher cross before the same player sent a shot over the top after a lengthy left flank run.

Miller made another fantastic stop to keep out Leon Cort's powerful header from a Gower corner before Southend were finally awarded another penalty in the 81st minute after a bouncing cross from McSweeney hit Christian Edwards on the hand. Edwards was subsequently harshly sent-off for what was a second booking.

Very few people inside Rots Hall could quite belive it though when badly out-of-form striker Drewe Broughton, on as a substutute for Kightly, stepped up to take the spot-kick despite Mark Warren racing up from defence to grab the ball, at one point Constantine even had to hold back a furious Warren. The defender's feelings where simply emphasised as Broughton, after another long delay caused by Hill's antics, fired his effort a long way wide of the left hand post. That was the eleventh penalty of the season - one every other game - and incredibly the eighth missed attempt.

United still had two final attempts to level the game, but Michael husbands stabbed over the top after Constantine had knocked-back a Bramble cross and Broughton then sent a poorly directed header from a Constantine cross straight at Miller.

It was a strange after at Roots Hall, but a seventh home defeat of the season is keeping United firmly in the relegation mire. League victories must be forthcoming and a new manager must be appointed before the new year if indeed Tilson is not going to be offered the job.

As for the missed penalties, I'd hazard a guess that no team has ever been awarded eleven spot-kicks before Christmas, let alone seven different players missing all but three of them. If we'd scored all of them we'd have at least eight more pounts now - just sometrhing for you all to think about.

Mark Wallis
www.thelittlegazette.com