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Southend United 1 Wimbledon 4

Last updated : 13 September 2002 By Mark Wallis

Mark Rawle slid home United's consolation.
At Rushden on Saturday some people would say that Rob Newman's side were perhaps rather fortunate to only be on the recieving end of a three goal whopping, but this encounter was certainly right at the very other end of the scale. On what was a mild autumn evening Southend were the better side right from the off, Newman's men more than willing to take the game to their First Division opponents, and in only the second minute Wimbledon shot stopper Kelvin Davis had to be alert to slide out of goal and intercept Mark Beard's low cross right at the feet of ex-Dons winger Neil Jenkins. Three minutes later Davis was at it again, this time the talented keeper pushed a Graeme Jones shot around the post after Tes Bramble had set up the opportunity with a customary strong run.

On 11 minutes however the Shrimpers were very fortunate not to find themselves trailing, Darryl Flahavan called for, but was nowhere a curling Peter Hawkins cross, and as Neil Shipperley tapped the ball home at the far post, the linesman was flagging for a foul but just who was impeded remains a mystery.

Mark Rawle didn't quite connect to his header from Damon Searle's good left wing cross quite as well as he'd have liked on 16 minutes before Flahavan did well to hold Shipperley's long range effort as Wimbledon also began to create openings.

After a quite spell, chances wise at least, Bramble's knock-back to Beard saw Jones head a cross just off target at the far post on 41 minutes before the visitors stole the lead in the second minute of injury time, and it was basically down to defensive naivity - not just for this strike but in fact all four - that the goal came, ironically only minutes after Stephen Broad was forced to leave the field having cut his head in a collision with Wayne Gray. The goal arrived when Alex Tapp's corner dropped to Trond Andersen who had time to bring the ball under control before poking it into the top corner beyond the grasp of Flahavan.

Tes Bramble, United's best player, was substituted.

If United hads the better of the first period then the second half was literally complete domination, Wimbledon at times struggling to get out of their own half. The first half chance didn't arrive until 55 minutes however, Kevin Maher shooting wayward following neat play by Bramble and Jones. Jones himself then headed a Maher free kick wide minutes later.

Flahavan did well to block a Damian Francis shot on 64 minutes before Davis spilled a powerful Rawle shot, but unbelievably the Dons put the tie out of Southend's reach with a double strike within three minutes. The second goal was purely fortunate, a loose ball falling perfectly for Tapp who crashed a volley through a sea of bodies and past the helpless Flahavan before Tapp turned provider, an unmarked Shipperley side-footing home his left wing cross from close range.

Despite the incredible scoreline however Southend never gave up hope and Davis - undoubtedly man-of-the-match - brilliantkly pushed substitute Danny Mayes low daisy-cutter of a shot around the post before he made a simply world class save to keep out a Maye volley following a flick-on by Jones.

Danny Maye caused problems as a second half substitute.
United eventually pulled a goal back on 82 minutes, Rawle getting in front of Davis to stab home Maher's cross, but still United couldn't end on a high with Wimbledon grabbing a fourth in the final minute, Shipperley unmarked once again, chipped a shot over Flahavan having connected to a floating cross.

Huge disappointment for United to say the least, but on the plus side the Shrimpers will do ever so well if they play like that for the rest of the season. Just a few defensive frailties to adjust...

Mark Wallis
www.thelittlegazette.com