At least it wasn't five!
Former Southend trailist Ed Upson was warned by his watching manager Roy Keane to up his game, or he could be on his way in the summer.
Former Southend trailist Ed Upson was warned by his watching manager Roy Keane to up his game, or he could be on his way in the summer.
Thanks Roy, as he capped a hard working display with a couple of goals in a comprehensive beating of the Shrimpers reserves by Ipswich Town to add to a list of comprehensive beatings this season.
Ricky Duncan must look forward to going back to his winning under-18 side after every Blues Two's match!
It was Ed Upson who opened the scoring after only 5 minutes, when his shot took a deflection from 25 yards out and ended up in the top corner, 1-0.
Another 5 minutes and by the one piece of joy for the home side when Matt Paterson struck the rebound home of his own shot after receiving a precise pass from Scott Spencer, his first goal for the club, 1-1.
And that only lasted 60 seconds, all it took for the Tractor Boys to go a goal up again, Reggie Lambe finding the net, 2-1.
The game then became a procession of Ipswich chances who, to be fair, had a pretty experienced side out, including former ManU winger Lee Martin, against a central defensive pair and a midfield just out of school.
However hard the Southend lads tried the ball ended up at the feet of the team from Suffolk, who usually went on to do what they wanted with it.
Poor Andre Blackman, substituted with twelve minutes to go, another trailist doomed along with the likes of Byron Harrison, never really standing a chance really.
Connor Wicham volleyed home on 42 minutes. 3-1, half-time.
Second half, 48 minutes, Shane O'Connor takes advantage of some poor defending, not the Shrimpers greatest strength all afternoon, and with Sankofa and Herd in the back four, 4-1.
The one-way traffic continues with missed Ipswich chances and a good Daniel Bentley save. but soon O'Connor got his second via the crossbar, 75 minutes, 5-1.
Will the punishment finish? Not until Upson got his own second goal four minutes from time, curling a lovely free-kick over the wall and past Bentley who was still covering the other side of the net!
The bench on Saturday for young Daniel will be a welcome escape from this sort of carnage, er, we hope.
Scorer Matt Paterson spoke to www.echo-news.co.uk after the game: "It may have been a reserve game but any time you score as a striker it gives you confidence. We have some hard games coming up but I want to stay in and around the team and then make the most of any chance which comes my way."
Southend United: Bentley, Dankofa, Osifuwa, Whittaker, Herd, Asante, (Milner 23), Dennis, James-Lewis (Woodyard 82), Blackman (Okai 78), Spencer, Paterson.