United were two goals down at the interval and, despite completely dominating proceedings, looked down in confidence and dead and buried walking off the pitch withy forty-five minutes on the clock. However whatever manager Steve Tilson said to his side at half time must have worked as the Shrimpers began the second half on fire and the fightback began just thirty-one seconds after the re-start when Mark Bentley, inspirational throughout the whole game, fired home a fantastic twenty yard volley.

A Leon Constantine penalty, his twenty-third strike of the campaign, and a fabulous winner from Mark Gower five minutes from time sealed a memorable victory for the Seasiders who have risen into the top half of the Third Division table for the first time this season and lay just four points off tenth-placed Swansea City.

Defeat would have dealt a severe blow to United however, and had Darlington held onto their first half advantage the Shrimpers would have gone into Saturday’s clash at Northampton Town desperately searching for maximum points, however this victory should see Tilson’s men, who are now nine points clear of York City, home and dry and at long last we can start looking forward to next season.

Tilson had to make one enforced change from the side which unluckily went down by a single goal at Huddersfield Town two days earlier, with Carl Pettefer put out of action after a strong tackle up in Yorkshire and his place taken by striker Tesfaye Bramble with top-scorer Constantine moving out onto the right flank. Skipper Kevin Maher (suspension) was missing once again, although he will be back for the trip to Sixfields but fellow absentee Lawrie Dudfield (infection) will also miss out in five days time due to a clause in his contract.

The visitors from Durham, still in deep relegation mire themselves, stole the lead in as early as the sixth minute. A huge lapse of concentration in the Southend defence allowed ex-Shrimper Barry Conlon to slip a ball through the home dfence and Danny Graham, unmarked and only six yards from goal, despatched a neat finish past Darryl Flahavan and into the bottom left hand corner.

United were shellshocked by this early strike and took time to get going, especially with Darlington, and in particular defender Matthew Clarke, appearing to end every Southend flourish forward in a rather unconventional manner. Indeed both Clarke and Shrimpers frontman Drewe Broughton were both fortunate to come out of a 26^th minute tussle unpunished.

However, it was that incident which seemed to finally spur United on and it was from that moment on that the Essex side, captained in the absence of Maher by Mark Warren, began to dominate the match and the first man to get in on the act was Arsenal loanee Nicky Nicolau who’s fierce turn and shot from a Gower free kick zipped just over the crossbar. Seconds later another Gower set piece was aimed towards Constantine but Broughton inexplicably leapt in front and nodded the ball off target.

Then, with a most amazing decision, the Quakers were awarded a penalty when Duncan Jupp’s superb ball-winning tackle on Conlon was deemed a foul by Nottinghamshire-based referee Alan Butler. There was absolutely no doubt that Conlon made the most of any contact, which it seems there wasn;t any of, and it seemed as if Warren, Jupp, Bentley, Flahavan and Lewis Hunt were all cautioned for profusely protesting about the spot-kick.

When the kick was eventually taken however, Ryan Valentine’s poorly taken kicked was almost kept out by Flahavan, diving to his left, but the ball somehow managed to just wriggle underneath the custodians body.

Undeservedly two goals behind the Seasiders did their utmost to get themselves back into the match and try to avoid a tenth home defeat and preserve their side’s unbeaten home record which now stretches back over three months to early January.

Clarke did well to block a piledriver from Bentley after good work involving Gower and Constantine before a Gower corner saw Leon Cort head fractionally wide of the near post.

As half time approached the homesters came even closer to reducing the deficit. Broughton, who starting poorly but improved as the game went on, held the ball up well before fired a decent effort inches wide of the post before the ex-Kidderminster Harriers man knocked the ball bacl to Bramble who saw his low effort blocked.

Finally, the half closed with the Shrimpers best chance so far. Bentley, man-of-the-match by a country mile, unleashed a fantastic 20 yard short following a neatly laid-off free kick by Gower which Michael Price, once on trial with United, did well to tip over the crossbar.

Half-time - Southend United 0 Darlington 2

Then, with the second half only thirty-one seconds old the comeback commenced. Broughton burst forward and his blocked shot only fell back as far as Bentley, 20 yards from goal, who unleashed a fantastic half volley which beat Price all ends up and flew into the top left hand corner of the North Bank net.

Mark Bentley was magnificent throughout.

That goal had given Southend a real buzz and Darlington were kept on the back foot for the remainder of the game and, in all honestly, never really looked like holding onto their lead.

Broughton squandered a glorious chance when he headed a right wing Nicolau cross wide of the far post, a great weaving run by Bentley was only halted by an impressive tackle from Valentine and Bramble smashed an effort only a whisker wide of Price’s upright.

A neat run from Broughton saw a low effort dragged wide of the post before the United frontman sent a long ball upfield which Bramble headed just over the top from a tight angle. Then a dangerous Constantine centre couldn’t quite find the touch it needed from either Bramble or Broughton.

Then, with 73 minutes on the clock, United finally found the breakthrough they had been searching for. Broughton suddenly broke through on goal and with only Price in front of him ewas cruelly upended by defender Jonathan Hutchinson and referee Butler had no option but to award the Shrimpers a penalty and hand Hutchinson a straight red card and reduce the visitors to ten men. Constantine placed his kick into the bottom left hand corner and despite Price getting a hand to the ball he couldn’t prevent it from sneaking into the corner to put Southend back on level terms.

United then lost their composure momentarily and substitute Neil Teggart brought a decent diving stop out of Flahavan before normality was soon restored and Nicolau’s angled free kick flew just over the crossbar.

Bentley drove a low 20 yard drive into the arms of Price on 78 minutes before the winner arrived some seven minutes later. Gower sprinted down the left side before cutting inside and unleashing a brilliant shot into the top right hand corner from the most acute of angles. Roots Hall sudden;y erupted and incredibly Gower was booked for the jubilant celebration which seemed to involve most of the delighted West Bank.

Southend could have put the match beyond all doubt with a fourth goal when Broughton saw his shot blocked after a decent lengthy run, but the last chance, in the third minute of stoppage time, gave United a real scare when Clarke, alone and only six yards from goal, nodded an Ian Clark cross inches over Flahavan’s crossbar.

Anyhow, the Shrimpers net was not rippled and Roots Hall was left celebrating a most phenomenal comeback. We hope you enjoyed it!

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.