Southend United 1 Northampton Town 0

In fact it was again, the third time that Southend sent Roots Hall wild as the local support saw the Blues off to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. To say the Roots Hall roar has returned over the last couple of seasons is an understatement and the atmosphere was absolutely electric inside the stadium, as it has been over the past few games.

Other than the fans, one factor that saw the Shrimpers to victory was Nicky Nicolau. As his former club, Arsenal won the F.A. Cup; Nicolau showed the style that saw him play for such a club as he oozed class throughout the afternoon but vitally winning the penalty that saw Southend to victory. However Nicolau was somewhat of a surprise inclusion in the team as he was favoured ahead of the unfit Mark Gower and Luke Guttridge. The one other change in the team saw Lawrie Dudfield feature instead of the injured Tes Bramble although Dudfield was preferred to Wayne Gray.

Northampton manager Colin Calderwood also made a change to his side, taking Lee Williamson out of the team and replacing him with experience man Martin Smith.

In fact Calderwood’s changes appeared to be outplaying Tilson’s as Northampton started the stronger team. It took only four minutes for Northampton to test keeper Flahavan as the midfield joined the attack in order to get a shot away. Charley Hearn managed to send a fierce effort into the direction of the goal as the Cobblers’ looked for the early breakthrough. This was replicated just two minutes later as Darryl was again called into action, the former Boston United striker Andy Kirk sending the ball towards the goal.

However as the half progressed Southend emerged as much the better side and the Blues were beginning to find openings. One of these fell to Carl Pettefer however after linking up well with Eastwood the ball found it’s way sideways to Ducan Jupp rather than towards the North Bank goal.

Nicky Nicolau though was a player who was not afraid to shoot as he surged down the left wing. With Eastwood waiting in the middle Nicolau hammered the ball just wide of the goal signalling his intent to attack throughout the afternoon.

Despite this Southend’s first real chance did fall to Eastwood. As Duncan Jupp played the ball into the right hand channel he found Freddy in a position where he was deemed to be onside. Freddy then powered a right-footed shot into the Northampton fans behind the North Bank goal.

As Southend continued to pepper the goal, Spencer Prior had a blocked shot that forced another corner. Northampton, who knew the importance of defending set pieces after Adam Barrett managed to force two goals from headers earlier in the season, were clearing the good corners from Nicolau and Maher effectively.

However there was little the they could do when Nicolau, Dudfield and Eastwood linked up to find the ball into the path of Mark Bentley. Bentley managed to get a shot towards goal however Northampton skipper Chris Willmott promptly deflected the shot, taking the pace of the ball and allowing keeper Lee Harper to tip the ball wide of the goal.

Northampton did manage to force a little pressure on the Southend goal as the half was coming to an end. It was again Kirk was causing the problems as the large Northern Ireland international scrambled a shot wide of Flahavan’s goal. I am sure that Kirk would have judged the bounce a little bit better if we were playing ‘Boston United rules beach football!’

As the second half commenced it was clear that the Southend players meant business and began the half as they meant to go on. In fact it was only took two minutes for referee, Barry Knight to turn away a penalty appeal as handball against Fred Murray was turned away. It was, in fairness only a half hearted appeal but it was only two minutes later that a appeal of much more venom occurred.

Lawrie Dudfield and the rest of Roots Hall holds its breath...

Nicky Nicolau collected the ball and the expectation of Roots Hall rose as the former Arsenal trainee jinxed Chris Willmott only for him to be clipped inside the area. This instigated Barry Knight to blow his whistle however it took him an age to decide to point to the spot. Up stepped the messiah Freddy Eastwood who took the most pressured penalty of the day and with 8,000 odd Shrimpers expectations on his shoulders he did not disappoint sending Lee Harper the wrong way. (1-0)

then Nicolau, Eastwood and fans do the celebrating

The last five minutes did see Northampton throw everything at the Southend goal however they failed to capitalise when former Colchester forward Scott McGleish headed towards the goal from inside the 6-yard area. However Darryl Flahavan produced a really top quality save and managed to tip around the post.

Stoppage time was not as nervous as any of the two LDV games (that saw us get to Cardiff) as the players appeared to understand the knack of timewasting without getting on the wrong side of the referee. As the rest of the game was successfully negotiated and Barry Knight’s final whistle, Roots Hall found itself in celebration and more importantly still on the road to promotion.

It seemed apt that in a season where the ‘Roots Hall Roar’ returned the last game there ended in a victory and such an important one at that. Southend now go onto Cardiff this time for a match for bigger than the LDV Vans finals that the Shrimpers’ have previously competed in. This game will be against Lincoln City, who they have forced two 1-1 draws off of in the regular season.