Wrexham 3 Southend United 0

Southend, who were obviously missing striker Tes Bramble for the second match in a row, fielded a new name on the forward line with Republic of Ireland full International Dominic Foley making his United debut having signed on a months loan from Watford. Unfortunately Foley, just like far too many of his companions, badly underachieved on an afternoon that Shrimpers boss Newman will want his players to forget in a hurry.

United were never at the races in this match, and it was the dominant home side who duly created the first chance of the match on nine minutes, a neat turn and shot by Lee Trundle saw goalkeeper Darryl Flahavan get a hand to the ball but it was left to Damon Searle to eventually clear the ball off the goalline.

Southend midfielder Jay Smith sent a low shot wide of the target following a Mark Rawle knock-back, but that rare Shrimpers attack was soon put paid to as the home side grabbed the lead on the 15 minute mark. A fabolous left wing run by Wrexham's 24-goal leading scorer Andy Morrell resulted in a cross which the Southend defence cleared only as far as Carlo Edwards who hit a truly stoppable half volley past Flahavan and into the top right hand corner from 20 yards.

A bad slip by Searle let in Morrell for a free run at goal six minutes later, but this time Flahavan did very well, rushing off his line to bravely smother the ball at the striker's feet.

In what was actually quite a heated match, referee Peter Walton turned a blind eye wen Wrexham defender Brian Carey raise to fist to both Smith and Foley, before, on 38 minutes, the Shrimpers came the closest they would come to an equalising goal, Kevin Maher's corner - United's first flag kick of the afternoon - found its way to the back post where Stephen Kelly's diving header was desperately cleared off the line by Carlos Edwards.

Southend, in what was their only decent spell of the match, then closed the half with first Clark driving a shot at home goalkeeper Andy Dibble and then Daryl Sutch sending a shot wayward following a neat run.

Clark made a good chance for himself just five minutes after the interval, speeding down the left flank before cutting in and shooting into the arms of Dibble, but the home side extended their advantage just seconds later and in slightly controversial style. Morrell left Smith writhing in injury from a hefty challenge on the halfway, but with referee Walton oblivious to the incident the ball was played out to the left when Trundle had a free run down the wing. With the Southend team virtually at at standstill, half expecting a free kick to be awarded, Morrell had sneaked, unmarked, into the six yard box where he had no difficulties in heading Trundle's accurate cross past Flahavan.

Morrell, completely unmarked once again, fired fiercely wide of Flahavan's post on 68 minutes when perhaps he should have done better before the victory was completed with the third goal on 75 minutes. It simply looked all too easy as Morrell's through ball was latched onto by Paul Edwards who strutted towards goal and slipped a shot past the advancing Flahavan.

Stephen Thomas was perhaps fortunate not to recieve any action from Walton after he deliberately kicked out at Sutch on 86 minutes, but it didn't matter as Wrexham were still bossing the match and Flahavan was called upon to push wide a Morrell volley a minute later.

Damon Searle, a Welshman himself, was one of Southend's better performers.

Amazingly, just as in the first half, it was the visitors who had the last chances of the match. Leon Cort nodded a Maher cross over Dibble's crossbar before, with the last action of the encounter, Kelly saw yet another header - again from a Maher corner - hacked clear from underneath the crossbar.

The late flourish was nowhere close to being enough to satisfy the angry away supporters wqho more than made their feelings known at the end of the match. This result all but put an end to Southend's promotion play-off hopes, and unless nothing short of three points, and with a good performance to boot, is achieved against Rushden & Diamonds in a weeks time at Roots Hall the calls for manager Rob Newman's head could well be resurrecting themselves once more.

WREXHAM (4-4-2):- Andy Dibble; Stephen Roberts (Shaun Pejic 70), Paul Edwards, Brian Carey, Dennis Lawrence; Jim Whitley, Darren Ferguson (Scott Green 45), Carlos Edwards, Stephen Thomas; Lee Trundle (Lee Jones 84), Andy Morrell. Unused subs - Shaun Holmes, Kristian Rogers.

SOUTHEND UNITED (4-4-2, with ratings out of ten):- Darryl Flahavan 6; Daryl Sutch 6, Damon Searle 7, Leon Cort 5, Stephen Kelly 6; Kevin Maher 5, Jay Smith 5 (Mark Beard 85), Daniel Marney 4, Steven Clark 7; Mark Rawle 5 (Barrington Belgrave 66, 6), Dominic Foley 4. Unused subs - Tom Jordan, Mark Salter, Daniel Gay.

TLG MAN OF THE MATCH: Steven Clark.
An easy choice to be honest. No one stood out in what was all round a very depressing performance from United, but Steven Clark was one player who did give his all and he at least tried to make things happen even if his team mates weren't quite so interested. Clark made some very confident runs down the left wing and often put himself into decent position in which to recieve the ball.

Attendance: 3,109 (219 away fans)
Referee: Peter Walton (Northampton) 6 out of 10.

Mark Wallis
www.thelittlegazette.com