Southend have now emulated what they did three season's ago in reaching of Area Final of this competition, but having slipped to a 4-2 aggregate defeat against Brentford. This time around however United will be seeking to go one step further and reach a final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, however one more side stands in Southend's way and, would you believe it, it is Colchester United.
It's almost fourteen years since the Blues and the U's met in a competitive fixture and now the time has finally arrived what an occassion for it to happen! The tie will be played over two legs on Tuesday 10th February and 24th February. The draw to ascertain which side will play at home first will be made on 'Soccer AM' this coming Saturday. Blackpool or Sheffield Wednesday then await in the Final.
However, onto this game, and despite their atrocious home record, Southend do seem to have the knack in Cup matches at Roots Hall, and an impressive 3-0 victory over Second Division Luton Town in the previous round was ecplised with this fantastic performance. Amazingly United have scored just 23 League goals this season but have now struck the net on 21 occassions in cup matches.
The great divide which seems to exist between League and Cup games is impossible to explain, but undoubtedly if Southend put in performances such as this week in week out in Division Three Steve Tilson's men would be involved in a promotion push rather than a relegation struggle.
The Shrimpers had their grasp on this match right from the off, and despite Rangers huge away following urging their side on, Southend were never phased by their illustrious oppoents and created the first chance of the match after just four minutes when Kevin Maher's stinging 20 yard volley brought a fine save out of Rangers goalkeeper Chris Day who tipped the ball around the post.
Then, with still only welve minutes on the clock the Shrimpers grabbed the lead, a neat Mark Gower centre found Leon Constantine with his back to goal and the tall striker quickly turned before rifling a low shot past Day and into the bottom left hand corner of the South Stand net.
Rangers probably had their best period of the match just after United's opener, Paul Furlong had a fierce free kick charged down the the Southend wall and Martin Rowlands sent a zipping 25 yard shot just off target, but despite the visitors throwing everything the had at the Shrimpers, the home defence was absolutely outstanding and didn't put a foot wrong all night.
Drewe Broughton hit a snap shot just over the top on 34 minutes following a Gower centre with what turned out to be the last real chance of a first half which had seen United sit back and frustrate their oppoents.
The second half was somewhat slow to come to life, with the early stages seeing Soutend easily soak up pressure from Rangers, but the closest the West London side came to a goal was just after the hour mark when Clark Carlisle nodded wide of Darryl Flahavan's post following a cross from Dean Marney.
Then, just two minutes later the Roots Hall faithful were put into dreamland when the advantage was extended to three, thus time an inch pefect Gower cross was met by Broughton who, at the far post, sent an angled header into the roof of the net with Shittu failing miserably to keep the ball out.
With Southend now far and away in the ascendency, a neat run by Constantine saw the Blyes top scorer drag a shot just off target before Rangers - who to their credit never gave up - saw striker Kevin Gallen fire over the top of Flahavan's crossbar.
However, with Southend ascerting even more pressure Day did well to push a Broughton shot, following good play by Maher, around the post before on 79 minutes the rout was completed with a fourth goal and a second from Broughton. A short Gower corner was touched back to the former Barnet man by Maher and a great inswinging cross saw Leon Cort's downward header pushed out by Day but Broughton was on hand to smash home the loose ball from a matter of yards.
Southend's fourth goal was greeted by a mass exodus from the away end, but those supporters who left early missed a few late chances for the team, with Rowlands shooting just over the top and Furlong somehow firing over the top from point blank range, but it was far too late for a Rangers side who well well and truly beaten by the impressive Shrimpers.
Let's just hope that this form can be taken into the League match at Mansfield Town this Saturday!
Southend United | 4-0 | |
Leon Constantine 12 Steven Clark 67 Drewe Broughton 69, 79 | Referee: Richard Beeby Match Time: 95:04 |
Darryl Flahavan Duncan Jupp -- Jamie Stuart Leon Cort Mark Warren Kevin Maher Jay Smith Steven Clark Mark Gower Drewe Broughton Leon Constantine -- | 8 8 7(84) 8 8 8 8 9(88) 8(88) 9 8 | Chris Day Terrell Forbes Gino Padula Danny Shittu Clarke Carlisle Matthew Rose Marc Bircham Martin Rowlands Dean Marney Kevin Gallen Paul Furlong | 6 6 5 6 6 6 7(84) 7 5(71) 6(84) 6 |
Carl Emberson Dave McSweeney Che Wilson Neil Jenkins Michael Kightly | - - -(84) -(88) -(88) | Nicky Culkin Steve Palmer Eric Sabin Dennis Oli | - -(84) 6(71) -(84) |
11 7 4 0 0 11 4 11 | Total Goal Attempts | 13 2 9 2 0 19 9 1 |
TLG Man Of The Match – Drewe Broughton and Steven Clark |
I found it impossible to pick between these two players so they award has, quite rightly, gone to both. Clark, making his first start of the season showed what we all know he can do, terrorising Rangers all night and scoring a truly fantastic goal. Broughton, having struggled to score brfore Christmas, has now got three in two games. He took both goals well and his all around performance could not be faulted. |
Match Stats |
LDV VANS TROPHY, SOUTHERN SECTION SEMI-FINAL - Tuesday,
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