The clock next to the bed read 9.15, I felt awful. My nose had been blown so many times over the last week it had transformed into a cherry tomato. (I'd fit in with the locals at least; cherry, geddit!) The forecast was wind and rain, maybe the game was off. I did not want to go.
Still, I'd only paid 4quid for coach and train tickets, I did want to see our brand new 200k striker, the weather was looking better. Get out of bed boy, there was a match to go to, then I noticed my 11.25 coach ticket was for 11 and it was 10am, oh bugger!
I was on the packed coach at 10.58, strangely full of Germans, should have bought the wife, feeling twice as worse as I did two hours previously after breaking the world record running between
Reaching
The
Four packets of Lemsips had come and gone since Monday, so mixed with a Magners and two large Smirnoff and Oranges I had made sure I took the short walk to the ground in a self made twilight zone, I was going to be oblivious to whatever dross was going to be served up, at least they were bottom, I'd take a goaless draw.
BANG, 18th mte., after exceptional work by Hooper, who left centre back Russell Perrett for dead, a great shot parried out to the waiting Gower who took his chance with exceptional ease, 1-0.
BANG, 23rd mte., Francis, suddenly finding himself in the centre forward position, well why not we don't have one at the moment, hit a shot hard and low that skidded along the wet surface squirming under their ill fated keeper Stewart and into the net, 2-0.
BANG, 43rd mte., as some Shrimpers were leaving to get their half time burger, Nicky Bailey won the ball, not for the first time, passed to Hoops, notice my new best friend at the club has now got a nickname, got to keep him sweet, who crossed a low ball to the back post where, who else could it be but our brand new second forward, Tommy 'Poacher' Black, gleefully clobbering the ball home off the underneath of the crossbar. 3-0, three frigging nil, now I honestly did not see that coming.
Over my 2.80 plastic bottle of Carling I was a state of shock, though that could have been the beer, spirits and paracetamol all kicking in. (I'd stopped blowing my nose at least, in fact my whole body had stopped doing a lot of things, putting one foot in front of the other was in fact becoming increasingly difficult!) We were not even playing that well, the usual brand of Tilly passing and movement of course, though keeping the ball on the ground more that most games, surprise, surprise. (Was this the smallest Southend side ever seen, well since the last third of the game v Dagenham at least?) However, Bournemouth were out passing even us at times and with a forward who took his chances, take a bow Mr. Sam 'Whoops' Vokes, and another ref on another day and it might have been 3-3. Loannee Max Gradel was a handful but fell over far too easily for his own good as well as having a silly haircut.
Teams at the bottom traditionally do not get the rub of the green but they did not help themselves as there nice passing around the pitch usually ended up with them passing the ball back to us. (Or McCormack/Bailey won the ball off them.) They were also very static at the back which did not help their cause, manager Kevin Bond doing well to create a defense of less crude Kevin Bonds.
So I retook my seat for the second half and immediately saw more good work by Black leading to a naff cross leading to the ball quickly going up the other end for a better cross by Warren Cummings deflected into his own net by poor Lewis Hunt. 1-3. Nothing to worry about as up we went and a royal mix up between keeper Stewart and Pettett led to a cross by Black from the corner flag in front of the Blue support leading to the linesman deciding Hoops had been fouled in the box by Perrett. (He must have been getting really pissed by Hopper at this stage!) There then followed a penalty that made Harry's missed efforts look unlucky. Marky Gower, what were you doing? Three steps back, a run up played in slow motion, a pause, a weak shot, passed the left hand post by a mile. I thought we got six against Daggers in the JPT, surprised we got that far after the last three. Something to work on there lads. However it didn't affect his game while the crowd doubled their vocal support behind Mark and the rest of the team. Great stuff here for the whole 90 minutes, of course, as I say in the West Stand, I wish we could go two up early on every week, then the moaning might stop. Here it actually happened, and it did, let's see if we can do it if two down, not that I actually want to be in that position just to prove a point!
As ever with a missed penalty it gees the opposing team up while getting the crowd going and for a while the thought of a 2-3 scoreline kept the joy in check but we shouldn't have worried. The Stewart Show had one more comedy moment to share with us in the 65th minute, the poor sod now carrying a hamstring strain, as he got in yet another mess with yet another defender after Francis hit a long through ball for my mate Hoops to cause a nuisance of himself leading to a sweet shot into an empty net. 4-1 and, at last, three lovely points.
There was time for another Vokes cock up, a Tommy Black one as well after great work by Scannell, looking like another Tilly gem here, while
Also another Magners to celebrate before a Virgin train to
What was great, and a huge nod to the management team here, was that under real pressure a number of players who have been inconsistent in the extreme this season stood up and were most definitely counted. A couple even having there best games for the club. Well done all, frigging pleased I went!
As for asking the dwarf forward line to work against Hartlepool, Barnsley and Leeds, that might be pushing our luck, but for now lets enjoy the moment when our play off hopes were most dramatically revived. (And I was even in the official photo at the end of the game, nice.)
Flahaven - 7; Little to do really thanks to the poor finishing of Vokes and Co., dramatically tipping over an early
Hunt - 7; A little subdued today with Francis getting more used to his role on the wing so did not venture forward as much as usual but defended solidly and had no chance with the deflection.
Barrett - 7; Usual game from Adam, 110%, great stuff.
Clarke - 7; As ever flinging himself into everything, his stature leading to a lot of 'just wins the ball' headers, but he does at least 'win' them, well he did on this occasion. Some clearances went astray, but he did clear them.
Hammell - 7; Also more defensive I felt, maybe the full backs were under instructions to stay back more due to the five foot forward line. Did nothing wrong, linked as well as ever with the midfield.
Francis - 8; Best game in that position just when we needed it. Always had the talent but we don't always see it, we did today.
Bailey - 8; I don't want to be smug, in fact I wish in someways it was not the case, but my preview column was the first to suggest that the loyal servant that is Captain Kev had to move out of the midfield for the midfield to move on. After changing his mind once Tilly now sees this as the only way forward. What's the win/draw-loss ratio when the ginger one, who we would give to our wives willingly it seems, I must tell the German in the morning, is paired with Mac? Offensive and defensive, sometimes within seconds of the same game, he must pass over more blades of grass than most players in the Blues long history.
McCormack - 8; The same Bailey playing style can be attached to Mac but it's together in the middle when they are most effective. Both looking out for each other like best mates these 23-year old gems could be the clubs midfield for the next 10 years give or take suspensions, injuries or a big pay cheque, and it better be big. No bookings as well, always worth an extra point.
Gower - 7; Took his goal really well, not as easy as it may have looked from the other end. Worked very hard, linking defense and attack as of old. Lost a point for the rubbish penalty.
Black - 7; So nearly an 8, certainly his best game for the club beating even the Gillingham match, but still a number of his tricks just don't come off and he really should have scored late on. Still, in the right position for his goal, worked hard and seemed to enjoy himself out there.
Hooper - 8; Seven players on 7 and four on 8 which for me shows what a true team performance this was. However nobody has been as critical of old Hoops as me and here he was knowing he was only in the side because there was no one else and he ended up playing his best match for the club. Now that shows balls young man and for that, man of the match. He was involved in three out of the four goals, very involved in one forcing the error than taking his goal with aplomb, and maybe if he had taken the penalty he won it might have been four out of five. Really looked up for it until he was taken off for.........
Sub Scallen - 7; Showed enough to show what a good signing this lad can be. 5k, still think it was a daft offer but somehow we got away with it and I believe there could be a few extra noughts added to that 5 if he ever gets transferred again. Created a great chance for Black by sheer skill mixed with his natural strength on the ball. (Collis, Richards, Moussa and Captain Kev were the other four subs.)
A crowd of 5,149, away support, 400-450? Ref Mr. Mellin get a 7, a good game, better than most at this level but the seven minutes injury time, thank the lord it wasn't 1-0!