A debatable penalty, finished off by Wayne Gray, at Lincoln City eleven days ago still stands as United’s only goal on this season’s League Two campaign, with Steve Tilson’s side have now scored only once in open play, a Drewe Broughton lob at Billericay Town, in over 700 minutes of football.
The goal draught however certainly hasn’t come around through lack of effort. The first half of this encounter was, in all honesty, dreadful, but the Shrimpers really should have broken the deadlock in a completely one-sided second half, although incredibly the visitor’s could, and maybe should have stolen a victory with their only effort on target in stoppage time.
Southend’s build-up play was excellent all afternoon, but Tilson’s side simply seem to be lacking that little bit of ambition when it come to the final third. Drewe Broughton did what he does best, and to great affect, but unfortunately he is never going to score a great number of goals and Wayne Gray doesn’t seem to be his ideal partner.
Unusually, the Blues main threat came from their new corner taker, Nicky Nicolau, who’s inswinging flag kicks caused endless problems for Cambridge’s seventeen-year old goalkeeper John Ruddy. However, Ruddy also looked very vulnerable at times, and Southend should maybe have made more of that, however the Shrimpers can take heart from the fact that they more than outplayed their opponents from Cambridgeshire.
Despite the performance, though, the single point yielded means that only Chester City, on goal difference, separate the Seasiders from the foot of the early League table, but all of a sudden supporters can go into next Friday’s clash at Bristol Rovers with high hopes. Of course sandwiched in between comes Tuesday nights Carling Cup match with West Ham United at the Boleyn Ground, but than pales into insignificance given the need for League points.
In what was a dour first half, it was the Shrimpers who created the first chance with seven minutes on the clock when Ruddy managed to grapple the ball away from the feet of striker Gray after Kevin Maher’s chipped free kick had been flicked on by Mark Bentley.
Cambridge midfielder Ashley Nicholls zipped a 3- yard effort over the crossbar, before the Shrimpers could have talen the lead on 26 minutes. A Nicolau flag kick saw Ruddy drop the drop under pressure from Gray and skipper Maher smashed the loose ball against the face of the bar.
Bentley nodded another Nicolau corner over the top of Ruddy’s bar, before the ginal chance of the first period saw Maher’s lob forward drop nicely for Bentley who’s angled drive dipped just over the top.
Half-time: Southend United 0 Cambridge United 0
Just like it’s predecessor the second half was remarkably slow tp come to life, and indeed the first chance did nor arrive until 67 minutes had elapsed, with Bentley firing slightly too high after Maher had softly laid-off a free kick.
Spencer Prior grabbed the first goalbound effort of the match, amazingly with only fifteen minutes remaining, as he flicked a Nicolau free kick at Ruddy before another gentle Maher dead ball saw Nicolau’s rifled shot blocked by the Cambridge defensive wall.
As Southend suddenly looked like they were going to score – maybe had the game lasted another five minutes they would have done so – Bentley saw his 20 yard shot well held by Ruddy before the young shot-stopper made a fine stop to deny Gray after the speedy frontman had been played through by a neat Carl Pettefer ball.
In what would have been a complete injustice however, Cambridge could have stolen a stoppage time winner when subsitute Chris Beech was played clear on goal, but a tame shot – which spoke voliumes for the match as a whole – brought a simple save by the legs of Griemink.
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Mark Wallis
www.thelittlegazette.com