Southend United 2 Hull City 0
Last updated : 23 January 2002 By Mark Wallis
Rob Newman dropped himself from the starting line-up as Southend returned to their usual 4-4-2 formation, and with Kevin Maher serving a one match suspension, Mark Rawle and Scott Forbes were drafted into the starting line-up. Rawle, who was likely to be pleased with his recall to first team duties had an extra celebration as he was presetnted with the PFA Third Division Player of the Month Award for December prior to the match. Of course the young forward had even more reason to be pleased later on in the match!
Southend never really seemed in any danger of losing this Tuesday evening encounter as the Shrimpers dominated procedings for long periods, however it was the visitors who had the first chance after two minutes when Gary Alexander headed a David Beresford corner over Darryl Flahavan's crossbar, however from that moment on, the first half was completely United.
In just the third minute a Barrington Belgrave shot was deflected wide for the Shrimpers first corner of the match and the resulting Scott Forbes corner was headed just wide by the diving Tesfaye Bramble.
City goalkeeper Paul Musselwhite easily gathered a low 20 yard Belgrave shot before Bramble was denied by a great sliding tackle by Matthew Wicks having connected to a Mark Rawle left wing cross, then on 17 minutes United were denied a blatant penalty as Belgrave, surging in on goal was poleaxed inside the area, however play, bizarrely, was waved on.
Carl Hutchings nodded a Forbes centre over the crossbar on 29 minutes before the Shrimpers deservedly took the lead in the 36th minute. Stuart Thurgood picked the ball up inside the centre circle, powerfully shrugged off his marker before tapping the ball forward to Bramble who, with his back to go brilliantly turned his opponent before steaming goalward, Bramble slipped the ball out to Belgrave, wide on the right. Belgrave took the ball in his stride before crossing to the back post where the ball appeared to be evading Mark Rawle, however the pacey forward just managed to get a toe to the ball to poke the Shrimpers in front from close range.
Four minutes after taking the lead Southend were on the attack once more. Belgrave knocking the ball out to Forbes - who was playing an unaccustomed right wing role - whose cross was headed out to Damon Searle, however the Welshman fired over the bar from longe range. Right on the stroke of half time Hull had a rare chance, and perhaps the visitors should have gone in at the break on level terms as Alexander somehow missed the target with a header from a matter of yards. However, had City equalised everybody felt that Southend, in full stride, would still go on to claim all three points in the second half - which of course they did.
Bramble created an opening for himself with a great run on 51 minutes however the striker aimed his shot straight at the fortunate Musselwhite, eight minutes later Bramble turned provider for Scott Forbes whose low shot wriggled towards goal before eventually being lumped off the goal line.
Leon Cort did well to stab the ball away from Gary Alexander, but with play quickly switching back to the other end, Forbes twisted and turned towards goal but delayed his shot, instead eventually knocking the ball to Rawle who saw a deflected shot bounce into the arms of Musselwhite.
The lead was doubled in the 70th minute as Southend were awarded a penalty, following the unsuccessful first half appeal, after Bramble was barged to the floor. With regular penalty taker Kevin Maher ruled out through suspension it was fellow midfielder Carl Hutchings who took responsibility. Hutchings didn't let anybody down, sending Musselwhite the wrong way with a perfectly placed spot kick into the bottom left hand corner.
Bramble, having struck a post at Darlington three days previously, once again saw a shot rebound back off the upright on 75 minutes following a strong run, but by then the victory was all but complete, with Hull threatening only once when Nicky Mohan headed a Ryan Williams corner just wide five minutes from time. Only 3,341 were present inside Roots Hall on this mild January evening, with about 450 from East Yorkshire, but those that were present will be begging for more as Southend take on Torquay United at Roots Hall on Saturday.
More of the same would certainly be welcome...
