Town 1 Southend United 2

Mar 17 2008 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

THE crowds may be falling, but the misery was maintained as Town fell to a stoppage-time strike.

Alan McCormack’s shot in the third minute of five added on supported Southend’s play-off credentials and condemned Andy Ritchie’s side to a fifth defeat in six games.

It was a 19th loss in 37 League I matches overall and a seventh in 18 at the Galpharm, where supporters’ patience is wearing thin.

They had to wait until the 73rd minute for something to cheer, Andy Booth cancelling out Hal Robson-Kanu’s 40th-minute goal with a trademark header from a Robbie Williams corner.

It should have sparked an all-out assault on the Southend goal, and Ritchie brought on reinforcements in the form of experienced Luke Beckett and 18-year-old Danny Broadbent (a clearly fatigued Booth and Michael Collins made way).

But it was Southend who finished the stronger.

Mark Gower put a 76th-minute ball right across the face of Matt Glennon’s goal, the keeper held Peter Clarke’s 85th-minute header and Malvin Kamara cleared skipper Adam Barrett’s nodded effort off the line just past the 90-minute mark.

Then came McCormack’s big moment.

Keeper Darryl Flahavan heaved the ball upfield, Gower headed it on and the Irish midfielder, on target twice when Southend beat Town 4-1 at Roots Hall in December and back from a two-match suspension for this contest, scampered between centre-backs Rob Page and Nathan Clarke and netted with a low right-foot drive which went in off Glennon’s right-hand post.

It left Southend boss Steve Tilson beaming and Ritchie rightly fuming at the way his team lost direction and seemingly concentration after Booth’s equaliser.

While they had created little in the way of clear-cut chances, Town – playing with Booth, Kamara and Chris Brandon up front – deserved their goal after starting the second half far better than they finished the first.

Southend set the tone when Tommy Black fired in a second-minute volley which was deflected for a corner.

Barrett had a free header which he put just over in the 13th minute, then Gower had a low shot saved after flicking James Walker’s pass beyond Frank Sinclair.

Collins carved out Town’s first real chance in the 22nd minute, beating Barrett and romping forward, only to push the ball a touch too close to the onrushing Flahavan, who smothered.

Both sides hit the side-netting in the 27th minute, Walker for the visitors and Brandon for the hosts, then Williams’ corner just evaded the stretching Booth.

Glennon had to use his legs to block from Gower on the half hour while in the 39th minute, Brandon was in and amongst the Southend central defenders Barrett and Clarke, but the ball was scrambled clear.

Williams’ low drive was comfortably held before Southend, who had looked dangerous throughout the opening period, went ahead.

Black was tackled wide out by Williams but retrieved the ball before it went out of play and was allowed to pull it back to on-loan Reading frontman Robson-Kanu.

He turned past Collins into the penalty area and drilled in a low shot which went between the legs of first Page, then Clarke, taking the slightest of deflections to deceive Glennon.

Robson-Kanu curled another left-foot shot just wide in the 50th minute while Booth met Williams’ 55th-minute free-kick powerfully, but planted the ball straight into the hands of Flahavan.

After Page and midfielder Nick Bailey clashed twice in close succession (the Town man was left applying an ice pack to his head before the Southend player needed treatment after ending up prone) Barrett escaped with a clear pull on Kamara as he broke through on 64 minutes (Barrow referee Mike Pike was lenient on pushing and shoving by the Essex side all afternoon).

Skipper Jon Worthington couldn’t get a clean connection with the ball after Brandon's well-placed 72nd-minute cross was only partially cleared, but there was to be no denying Booth a minute later.

What a shame his seventh goal of the season and 140th for the club couldn’t spark a victory charge.

Player ratings

Matt Glennon

Unlucky with Southend’s first, which took a deflection off Nathan Clarke’s heel, couldn’t stop the second.

7/10

Frank SInclair

Had his work cut out against tricky Mark Gower but coped well. Much improved from Hartlepool.

7/10.

Robbie Williams

Stuck to his task against lively Tommy Black. Free-kicks below par but his corner led to Booth’s goal.

6/10.

Michael Collins

Put in plenty of running as part of a midfield three before making way for fresh legs after 77 minutes.

6/10.

Nathan Clarke

Did plenty of good things, but he and Rob Page were still caught out for both Southend goals.

6/10.

Rob Page

Like Clarke, will be frustrated at the visitors’ goals. Had a real tussle with Nicky Bailey and booked for a high tackle.

6/10

Malvin Kamara

Very energetic in a frontline role. Got in some great crosses which teammates failed to make most of.

7/10.

Jon Worthington

Never shirked a challenge in a combative contest. Had a solid game in second start since returning from injury.

6/10.

Andy Booth

His high workrate was rewarded with a seventh goal of the season. Finally replaced in the 77th minute.

7/10.

Andy Holdsworth

Town’s third midfielder seemed to cover every blade of grass. Made some solid tackles and good runs.

7/10.

Chris Brandon

His effort in the forward line couldn’t be faulted, but got little out of a physical Southend defence.

6/10.

Town substitutions

Luke Beckett for Booth, 77mins; Danny Broadbent for Collins, 77mins; James Berrett for Worthington, 85mins.Subs not used: Aaron Hardy, Alex Smithies.Caution: Page.

Southend United

Flahavan, Francis, Clarke, Barrett, Mulgrew (Grant, 34mins), Black (Moussa, 77mins), Bailey, McCormack, Gower, Walker, Robson-Kanu (Barnard, 78mins).

Subs not used: Scannell, Collis.

Caution: Grant.

Ref watch

Neither manager was enamoured with the performance of Mike Pike.

The experienced Barrow whistler let Southend get away with an inordinate amount of pushing and shoving while failing to deal with a confrontation between Rob Page and Nicky Bailey which got a little ugly.

Page was yellow carded for a separate offence while Southend’s Anthony Grant was also booked for fouling Andy Holdsworth.