Southend United 0 Northampton Town 1

The Shrimpers penalty hoodoo came back to haunt them again on this chilly November afternoon. Having finally netted from the spot last week at Macclesfield Town, Jay Smith's tame spot-kick was saved by tall goalkeeper Lee Harper. It would have brought a crucial equaliser, but all it meant was that United have missed five of their incredible number of seven penalties this season.

The home side, for whom Jim Corbett was returning to the starting line-up, did start brightly however and in just the first minute Tes Bramble headed the yellow ball - used between November and February of course - inches wide of the post from a Mark Gower centre.

Soon after however the visitors caused the first scare of the afternoon, Chris Hargreaves driving an effort just wide from 20 yards following a Paul Trollope corner.

Corbett however sent an effort wide after a neat run for the Shrimpers before Bramble nodded wide after a Leon Constantine cross on the quarter hour mark. Moments later a strong run by Low was too pacey for Kevin Maher and the wideman saw his shot pushed out by Darryl Flahavan who then made a decent reaction stop from Richard Walker.

One of Southend's best chances of the game then arrived on 21 minutes, Bramble slipping Gower through on goal with a fantastic ball, but Gower, having raced clear of the defence could only diurect his effort straight at keeper Harper from a slight angle. Bramble's lob then beat Harper but Chris Willmott was on hand to hook the ball away.

The home sides best spell of the match then arrived in the minures leadimg up to half time. Maher curled a shot off target following a Gower corner; awarded only after the ball had bounced off th head of referee Joe Ross, and Corbett then drove a shot at Haper from the edge of the area having connected onto a neat ball by Smith.

Constantine then really should have done better when he failed to connect properly with Bramble fantastic cross from close range at the far post before the half came to a climax shortly Corbett had sliced a shot, from a Gower cross, badly over the top.

Unfortunately Wignall's men, having taken a rather extended half time break, never got going in the second half, and just three minutes after the interval a break forward by Martin Smith saw a fifty yard run end in a shot fizzing just over Flahavan's crossbar.

A fantastic tackle by Bramble, dispossesing Ian Sampson, resulted in a ball knocked to Constantine who saw his disappointing 25 yard effort blocked.

The winner then arrived on the hour mark. Trollope's harmless looking overhir free kick somehow brought a monumental blunder out of Flahavan who somehow completely missed the flight of the ball which drifted into the North Bank net.

Walker then sharply turned before firing just wide of the near post before substitute Michael Husbands saw his neat run end in a shot at Harper.

Southend were handed a lifeline however on 72 minutes when Bramble was hauled to the deck by Chris Carruthers. There was a lengthy wait before the kick was taken, in which time Martin Smith was booked for dissent, but when Jay Smith eventually stepped up his poorly hit kick was pushed out by Harper and Smith himself headed the rebound straight into Harper's arms.

That penalty miss brought United's hopes to an end, and despite a pacey Gower run which resulted in Lewis Hunt seeing as shot blocked before Corbett's low drive fizzled past the upright.

The Shrimpers could have had another spot kick in injury time when Sampson appeared to trip Bramble, but Ross waved away the appeals and Maher, having been booked in the first half, saw red after a second caution having continously protested to Ross. In the end Maher, who will miss the trip to Yeovil Town's Huish Park in two weeks time, can't really complain about his dismissal which just about summed up Southend's afternoon.