The entire match hinged on one incident eleven minutes from the end as lively striker Freddy Eastwood attempted to dumbfound experienced Iron captain Andy Crosby on the left-hand edge of the visitors' penalty area. A flick from the 21-year-old's left boot clearly struck the right hand of the defender, who was stationed some two feet inside his own area.
Rubery began to frantically wave his flag in the air, having been perfectly positioned just a matter of yards from the incident. However, the Essex official pointed towards the South Upper instead of placing his flag across his chest, and the hopes of the vast majority of the 8,224-strong crowd were quashed. Despite the protests of the Shrimpers players, referee Taylor merely cautioned Crosby, and signalled for a free-kick, which was eventually hit weakly into the wall by substitute winger Mark Gower.
Still there was time for Blues to waste the second best chance of the game as Eastwood's clever dummy on the edge of the area allowed midfielder Mark Bentley to race onto Che Wilson's left-wing cross. The former Dagenham & Redbridge talent forced Paul Musselwhite into a fine save with his initial effort, before proceding to gift the former Hull City shotstopper a second save from just ten yards out. Gower also sent a scorching drive back into the area, but despite Cleveland Taylor appearing to once again handle in front of his face, his namesake in green remained nonplussed.
Unfortunately, the main action of the game was centred around the final quarter-of-an-hour as two of the division's better sides contrived to produce a defensive masterclass that belied their famed attacking intent. Southend boss Steve Tilson made just one change, replacing Lawrie Dudfield in the starting eleven with Eastwood, whilst Mark Gower continued to warm the substitutes' bench.
Scunthorpe boss Brian Laws selected Stevland Angus for the first time as part of a back four in place of the injured Andy Butler, whilst speedy winger Cleveland Taylor, scorer of a fortunate goal at Glanford Park in the Iron's 3-2 win earlier this season, came in for world-weary Peter Beagrie, with Matty Sparrow switching to the left flank.
There were few opportunities during a turgid opening period, with Scunthorpe midfielder Richard Kell taking out his frustration with a bitter sliding tackle on the anonymous Wayne Gray to earn the first booking of the game after just 14 minutes. The opening attempt on goal was an intricate free-kick routine involving Sparrow, Kell and Ian Baraclough, culminating in the latter firing straight at Lewis Hunt.
Darryl Flahavan, named man-of-the-match by the sponsors at the end of the game, made the first of two outstanding saves on 23 minutes when Taylor's flick to Jon Walters, another ex-Hull player, saw the forward wriggle free of the attentions of Spencer Prior. Walters then prodded at Flahavan, who got a hand to the effort initially before clambering back goalwards to punch out of play for a corner.
Kevin Sharp's vindictive trip on Carl Pettefer was punished with another yellow card two minutes later, although Nicky Nicolau's shot was hit meekly at the defensive wall. The match then descended into a deluge of petty fouls and even more petty refereeing decisions, with both Pettefer and Wilson cautioned for the hosts despite claiming the ball in supposed fouls. When Clifford Byrne blatantly stamped on Kevin Maher, he was only administered the same treatment.
Fortunately, the half ended on a high, as first Nicolau sent a low 35-yard shot into the hands of Musselwhite diving to his left with Eastwood in attendance, and then at the other end Flahavan saving smartly after Byrne's right-wing cross was met by a stylish back-flick from Walters.
Half-time: Southend United 0 Scunthorpe United 0
The deadlock should have been broken just four minutes after the interval. Taylor got the better of Nicolau in the left-back position, and sent a precise cross to the back post, where Baraclough headed with immense power. Just as the net seemed destined to ripple, Flahavan dived expertly to push out on his goalline and the danger was cleared.
Five minutes later Gray and Nicolau combined on the left to help Eastwood engineer an opening, but his subsequent shot was drilled past the left-hand upright. Walters then dived to try and connect with a Sharp cross, but his aerial effort skewed wide to the right of the goal.
It was not until the introduction of playmaker Gower and hardworking front man Dudfield that Southend looked likely to score and aside from the misjudged handball incident and Bentley's double-denial, Carl Pettefer also failed to find the target when Gower curled a right-footed cross in from the left and Eastwood also drilled past the right-hand post.
The former Grays Athletic sharpshooter sent another middle-distance shot off target before the end, which was greeted by a chorus of boos aimed at the match officials, and not captain Maher's tame shot wide from twenty yards that concluded the action. There is much for manager Steve Tilson to ponder, but despite the Iron going top of League Two, Blues remain just six points off of the top, with only Macclesfield Town (away) and Yeovil Town (home) to play in the top six.
Full-time: Southend United 0 Scunthorpe United 0
0 CCL2 0 8224 4-4-2 TEAMS 4-4-2 Darryl Flahavan Paul Musselwhite Lewis Hunt Clifford Byrne Spencer Prior Andy Crosby Adam Barrett Stevland Angus Che Wilson Kevin Sharp Carl Pettefer Cleveland Taylor Mark Bentley Richard Kell Kevin Maher Ian Baraclough Nicky Nicolau 67 Matthew Sparrow Freddy Eastwood Steve Torpey Wayne Gray 67 70 Jon Walters Craig Holloway Tommy Evans Duncan Jupp Mark Jackson Mark Gower 67 70 Paul Hayes Lawrie Dudfield 67 Lee Ridley Tesfaye Bramble Peter BeagrieSOUTHEND UNITED
SCUNTHORPE UNITED
SUBS
Match Statistics |
Southend United (0)…0 Scunthorpe United (0)…0 @ Roots Hall in Coca-Cola League Two on Friday 11/02/05 |
Goals: none |
Bookings: Southend: Carl Pettefer 31 (foul), Che Wilson 37 (foul); Scunthorpe United: Richard Kell 14 (foul), Kevin Sharp 28 (foul), Clifford Byrne 41 (foul), Andy Crosby 79 (handball). |
Sent-off: none |
Total Goal Efforts | Shrimpers 11 Iron 6 |
Shots/Headers On Target | Shrimpers 3 Iron 3 |
Shots/Headers Off Target | Shrimpers 4 Iron 1 |
Blocked shots | Shrimpers 4 Iron 2 |
Hit Woodwork | Shrimpers 0 Iron 0 |
Corners | Shrimpers 3 Iron 4 |
Free-kicks | Shrimpers 15 Iron 14 |
Offsides | Shrimpers 3 Iron 6 |
Sundries |
Match Time | 94:17 (First half: 47:06, Second half: 47:11) |
Indicated Stoppage Time | First half: 2 minutes, Second half: 2 minutes |
Actual Stoppage Time | First half: 2:06, Second half: 2:11 |
Referee: Paul Taylor (Hertfordshire) 3 out of 10 (General Control 2/5, Application of laws 1/3, Appearance & Personality 0/2) – Turned up wearing trainers, proceeded to book his way through the game and then, when the match's big moment came, fluffed his lines completely by failing to award Southend a penalty and then not sending off Andy Crosby for a deliberate handball denying a goalscoring opportunity. Set his stall out too early with petty cautions of Pettefer and Wilson. |
Attendance: 8,224 (approx. 150 away fans) |
Programme Cover: the ‘Blues Brothers' |
Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com