Southend United 2 Hull City 2

In a match re-arranged from exactly a month previously due to United involvement in the final of the LDV Vans Trophy, Hull City arrived in South Essex needing a victory to all but confirm their elevation to the Second Division. However a highly competitive performance from Southend United, who are now mathematically safe from relegation following York City’s home defeat at the hands of Saturday’s opponents Yeovil Town, brought about an entertaining two-two draw in which either side could have sneaked a victory.

Striker Lawrie Dudfield, once Hull’s record signing when he arrived in East Yorkshire for £210,000 from Leicester City, returned to the Shrimpers starting line-up for the first time since the pre-Cardiff draw at Lincoln City, having been absent for the most part of a month with a viral infection and having missed Saturday’s tie at Northampton Town, by the same score incidentally, due to a clause in his contract. Dudfield replaced ankle-injury victim Tes Bramble in an otherwise unchanged side from the one which began the ninety minutes at Sixfields three days previously.

Surprisingly, despite a fantastic flowing style of play from both sides, the match, chances wise at least, was pretty slow to come to life, a third minute shot from Tigers Australian frontman Danny Allsopp brought a routine stop out of custodian Darryl Flahavan, but that’s was the only real opportunity during the opening exchanges.

As the match petered past the quarter-of-an-jour mark things began to open up a lot more and United soon created their first threats. Skipper Kevin Maher, performing at Roots Hall first the first time since returning from a two-match ban, saw his low drove held by Californian-born shot-stopper Boaz Myhill before a corner from the captain fell long at the far post but Lewis Hunt chipped the ball back into the danger area where Mark Gower hit a snapshot wayward.

Leon Cort stabbed a Maher free kick just over the top of Myhill’s crossbar before, dead on the half hour, Leon Constantine twisted and turned his way past two City defenders before smashing a 20 yard effort inches over the top.

By far the away sides best chance of the game so far arrived only a minute later when Stuart Green’s low drive, from a most acute angle struck the outside of the post after Flahavan had parried a Ben Burgess effort. Amazingly Burgess proceeded to give Green a bellowing for squandering what was, in all fairness, a very difficult chance.

However, Green’s bad luck soon proved fatal at the home side grabbed the lead with 34 minutes on the watch. Duncan Jupp, in space wide on the right, drifted a neat centre into the area and Dudfield, under pressure from stopper Myhill decided to flick a header onto Constantine who, in turn, knocked a ball back for Gower to drive a low shot through a crowded penalty area and beyond the stranded Myhill.

Unfortunately it took just eight minutes, and the very next meaningful attack, for the high-flying Tigers to pull things back onto level terms with a soft goal which will have left the Shrimpers somewhat disappointed as Junior Lewis was allowed to sneak in at the back post to gently nod home an Andy Dawson free kick.

Still, there was more than enough time for a pre-half time response from Steve Tilson’s men and Maher had already seen Myhill impressively tip a stinging half volley over the crossbar before the Shrimpers midfielder put his side back in front in the third minute of first half stoppage time. Jupp once again played a huge part in the build-up to the goal as it was his neat lay-off which Maher smashed into the bottom left hand corner via a deflection off Marc Joseph.

Rather pleasingly for the home support it was their favourites who began the second period as the better of the two sides and eight minutes after the re-start Joseph was once again involved in a crucial deflection, but this time the ricochet saw Hunt’s 20 yard drove bounce over the crossbar.

Another effort from Derby County loanee Hunt, who seemed to be enjoying his role on the right hand side of midfield, saw Myhill tip a shot over the bar before comfortably grasping a delicate chip from the same wideman.

Suddenly however, it seemed United’s spell of pressure had finished and it was the turn of the visitor’s to attack their massed ranks of supporters in the North Bank.

Flahavan did well to deny Allsopp after a fine sprint into the box and Stuart Elliott fired an effort off target before City levelled for a second time on 67 minutes. This time a Dawson flag kick was only cleared as far as Ian Ashbee, who’s crisp drive could not have been hit any sweeter before flashing past Flahavan and into the top right hand corner.

Strangely, as a contest, the game soon fizzled out as both sides appeared to run out of ideas, but Southend were denied a decent shout for a penalty when Mark Bentley tangled with Lewis inside the area before two late half chance from United saw Gower zip a 25 yard effort over the top and Cort head a Maher free kick into the arms of Myhill.

Mark Wallis
www.thelittlegazette.com

NB. Shots/headers on target includes all goals and Free Kicks includes all penalties. Ratings are only given to players who play 15 minutes or more.