That 13-1 offered for a 1-0 result to the Shrimpers was suddenly looking very good indeed.
It was not to be.
Lee Barnard's spot kick, after being brought down for the second week running, was hit well enough but at a saveable height and that's what Leeds keeper Shane Higgs did. Flinging himself to his left to pull off a marvelous save.
There were a few other chances, Mildenhall made another of his unique saves where his body just gets in the way of a goal bound shot, but on the whole this was a match of huff and puff and bursts of quality from mainly, it has to be said, the home side.
Leeds had a good chance early on that was not taken while the usually dangerous Beckford, back from a hamstring injury, could not get into the game.
However, there was enough glimses of quality to see why the West Yorkshire club are where they are and that, under manager Simon Grayson, this is finally the season they bugger off out of the third tier.
Blues boss Steve Tilson's more defensive tactics from last week was the right call, Leeds were not going to be another Orient, and though the midfield seemed muted at times, bar an oustanding display from Alan McCormack, they did enough to become the first club to stop Leeds winning this season.
Certainly, the return of Christophe seemed to affect Grant who was not the player of seven days ago.
Snoop Dog blowing the best chance of the game when seconds from the half time whistle he stretched a leg to a ball six yards out when it would have been easier to have headed it into the back of the net.
A word for Captain Adam Barrett who was simply brilliant, if he'd scored it would have been a 10! Having to cover young full back Johnny Herd at times, as well as doing his day job, this to me was one of his best performance for the Blues.
Not that Johnny was poor, no one wants to stop his enthusiasm, but he has to improve on when to go forward and when to defend.
Up front Laurent showed glimses of what he can do, while Barnard was everything you expect from a striker, bar scoring from the penalty spot! Overall, both worked hard and were a real pain to the Leeds back four.
This was the fighting display that the manager called for and one which Southend can be proud of. Certainly a good enough game to keep most of the 10,000 plus crowd in their seats until the final whistle.
Phil Hay's report of the game for the Yorkshire Evening Post is about spot on, which sadly is more than the good Lord was.
www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/leedsunited/Spot-on-Shane-saves-United.5641543.jp?articlepage=3
Southend United: Mildenhall - 7, Francis - 7, Barrett - 9, M'Voto - 8, Herd - 6, Grant - 6 (Scannell 80 - 5), McCormack - 8, Christophe - 6, Moussa - 7, Laurent - 7 (Freedman 80 - 6), Barnard - 8. Subs (not used): Walker, Sankofa, O'Keefe, Joyce, Sawyer.
Leeds United: Higgs, Crowe (Michalik 48), Kisnorbo, Bromby, Hughes, Snodgrass (Kilkenny 75), Doyle, Howson, Johnson, Becchio (Grella 82), Beckford. Subs (not used): Ankergren, Prutton, Robinson, Showunmi.
Referee: P Taylor (Hertfordshire) - 6.
Attendance: 10,123.
| Latest match Friday, 11th September 2009 | Pld | Home | Away | Overall | Pts | EP | |||||||||||||||||
| W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | |||||||||
| 1 | Leeds United | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 19 | +9 | ||||
| 2 | Charlton Athletic | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 3 | 18 | +12 | ||||
| 3 | Huddersfield Town | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 8 | 13 | +9 | ||||
| 4 | Bristol Rovers | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 12 | +4 | ||||
| 5 | Milton Keynes Dons | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 11 | +2 | ||||
| 6 | Swindon Town | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 11 | -2 | ||||
| 7 | Colchester United | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 7 | 10 | +6 | ||||
| 8 | Brentford | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 9 | +1 | ||||
| 9 | Southend United | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 8 | +2 | ||||
| 10 | Carlisle United | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 8 | +1 | ||||
| 11 | Norwich City | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 8 | -2 | ||||
| 12 | Gillingham | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 7 | 7 | +4 | ||||
| 13 | Millwall | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 0 | ||||
| 14 | Hartlepool United | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 7 | -1 | ||||
| 15 | Walsall | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | -2 | ||||
| 16 | Oldham Athletic | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 6 | -4 | ||||
| 17 | Yeovil Town | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 5 | -1 | ||||
| 18 | Stockport County | 6 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 5 | -3 | ||||
| 19 | Leyton Orient | 6 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 13 | 5 | -4 | ||||
| 20 | Exeter City | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 5 | -4 | ||||
| 21 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 5 | -8 | ||||
| 22 | Wycombe Wanderers | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 4 | -5 | ||||
| 23 | Tranmere Rovers | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 15 | 3 | -11 | ||||
| 24 | Southampton (-10) | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 7 | -6 | -3 | ||||