Ricky Duncan took charge for the second time of an inexperienced side due to league games and injuries but decided to include former Walsall winger Ishmel Demontagnac, the left midfielder playing the full 90 minutes ending up in a centre forward role.
Tilly and Brush were both on hand to take a look at a couple of players on view who could be promoted to the bench on Saturday, as well as seeing if Ishy did the business, though the initial news from the Hall is that Macca will be fit at least.
Demontagnac was sacked by the Saddlers in November following a number of breaches of club discipline. Before that, he will be remembered by Shrimpers for scoreing a hat-trick against us in their 5-2 win way back in August.
Well regarded by Walsall fans, amialrightoverhere on the WalsallMAD site said: Ishy was my favourite player, he was the most skillful player at the club, he has fast feet, a dynamic change of pace, beats players in very confinded areas and produces great crosses. he has a very hard left foot shot..... previous managers have said he could be a prem player..... so where is the downside..... he has a screw loose... if someone tackles him and fouls him, or holds him back by his shirt he hits out or kicks out at them.... he got sent off in reserve games... he got sent of 3 times in the first quarter of a season...... he did not turn up for one game.... the manager phoned him and he was still in bed.....he has been in trouble off the field and after all this we still persisted with him because of his talent...... however, having supported him again he got in trouble being sent off on the Saturday and then being involved in a police incident on the Sunday..... thus he was sacked.... somewhere sometime he may well settle and produce if this is the case then your club will be the lucky one..
He gets an early mention in dispatches when he created our first chance on 12 minutes, receiving a short pass thirty yards from goal the ex-Saddler sent a dipping shot hurtling over the crossbar.
Demontagnac continued to work hard with little reward and would seemed to have done enough to get another chance.
Clark Masters also stepped up as the side's goalkeeper with Ian Joyce needed as cover for Southend's game at Hereford in case usual No. 1 Steve
Mildenhall doesn't recover from his knee injury in time.
Tilly and Brush were both on hand to take a look at a couple of players on view who could be promoted to the bench on Saturday, as well as seeing if Ishy did the business, though the initial news from the Hall is that Macca will be fit at least.
Demontagnac was sacked by the Saddlers in November following a number of breaches of club discipline. Before that, he will be remembered by Shrimpers for scoreing a hat-trick against us in their 5-2 win way back in August.
Well regarded by Walsall fans, amialrightoverhere on the WalsallMAD site said: Ishy was my favourite player, he was the most skillful player at the club, he has fast feet, a dynamic change of pace, beats players in very confinded areas and produces great crosses. he has a very hard left foot shot..... previous managers have said he could be a prem player..... so where is the downside..... he has a screw loose... if someone tackles him and fouls him, or holds him back by his shirt he hits out or kicks out at them.... he got sent off in reserve games... he got sent of 3 times in the first quarter of a season...... he did not turn up for one game.... the manager phoned him and he was still in bed.....he has been in trouble off the field and after all this we still persisted with him because of his talent...... however, having supported him again he got in trouble being sent off on the Saturday and then being involved in a police incident on the Sunday..... thus he was sacked.... somewhere sometime he may well settle and produce if this is the case then your club will be the lucky one..
He gets an early mention in dispatches when he created our first chance on 12 minutes, receiving a short pass thirty yards from goal the ex-Saddler sent a dipping shot hurtling over the crossbar.
Demontagnac continued to work hard with little reward and would seemed to have done enough to get another chance.
Clark Masters also stepped up as the side's goalkeeper with Ian Joyce needed as cover for Southend's game at Hereford in case usual No. 1 Steve
Mildenhall doesn't recover from his knee injury in time.
Southend had a decent penalty appeal for handball on the half hour that was turned down but still went into half time one up thanks to a headed goal from under 18's central defender Ronnie Jones in the 38th minute.
Hornets keeper Stuart Searle had made a fine save from a Harry Crawford shot, fingertipping the ball over the left hand upright. Marcus Milner stepped up to take the corner, a vicious inswinger, which Jones got to first at the near post.
It took Watford only three minutes after the break to equalise, Alex Cauna nodding in at the back post froma Lewis Young cross.
After that possession was shared equally though it was Blues who had a trio of late chances with Stuart O'Keefe involved in all of them.
First his free-kick outside the area had been blocked by the Watford wall and his follow up was well saved by Searle. Then a header that just went over from a few yards out. Finally, in the last minute, he led an attack into the home teams half which ended in a corner. The ball fell to Adetayo Osifuwa but his shot flew over the bar.
Southend: Masters, Byrne, Jones, Osifuwa, Herd (c), Milner (Forshaw 73), Lokando (Abbey 85), O'Keefe, Demontagnac, Ljungstrom, Crawford (Hazell 73).
Subs not used: McDonald, Morris.