A reasonably enjoyable game to watch if a bit frustrating at well at times. A draw was a fair enough result as both teams were evenly matched on the day and neither really deserved the whole three points.
I started my day in the Gulls Nest and it was great to meet harboursidegull for the first time, always a pleasure to speak with keyberrygull and I also had another good long chat with Mark Boyce and I will cover a few things we talked about in another post.
The guest of honour at today’s match was Mr Gordon Furneaux who has stood on the Popside for an amazing 65 years now (see photo) Due to being in the Gulls Nest longer than I intended, I was not able to stand in my usual place and so moved up the popside a bit and watched the first half with Jon, chelstongull and stuartb.
I was a bit surprised the gate was given out as being 2880 with 307 away fans, it sure did not look that big a gate to me, but I’m sure the figure was correct and it’s good to see a much improved attendance at Plainmoor.
With overnight rain it was not a surprise the pitch was very heavy and not looking as good as it has done for most of the season, but it was perfectly playable, but had a number of very muddy and sticky patches in certain places.
Not a great deal of action in the first half to report on, I thought Rowe Turner made a few good tackles but let himself down a bit with some very poor passes and he just does not look very confident when he goes over the halfway line. I was not surprised to see Bucks decided not to send him out for the second half.
We had a few good neat passing spells in the first half with Robinson always looking to take on the Southend defenders and trying to make something happen. We were guilty a bit of hitting long hopeful balls from the back at times, Robertson being the main culprit and giving procession of the ball away to many times.
We started brightly enough and Mansell played a good ball to Zebs who cut into the box on the right hand side, he needed to play a good low ball across the box, but his cross was cut out far to easily for a corner.
Robinson picked the ball up on the halfway line and played a good ball to Billy Kee who in turn played a neat pass to Zebs whose shot was easily saved by their keeper.
Southend did have one good chance to take the lead in the first half; a long high ball was played into our box from some distance out on the left hand side of the pitch. Barry Cor was in plenty of space to get a header in on goal, but the ball was just a fraction to high for him and came off the top of his head and wide of the right hand post.
Danny Potter threw the ball out to Robinson who was deep in our half, we ran to the halfway line, looked up and played a great ball to Zebs that put him in on goal but a bit wide of it. Zebs went for the near post and the keeper did well to get across and block the shot with his body.
So not the most exciting first half if you like plenty of goal mouth action, but we worked hard enough and put in plenty of effort and that’s all you can ask on a pitch that did make passing difficult in a few places.
No surprise for me to see Nico start the second half, he just offers us so much more going forward and he came so close to scoring a wonder goal. I actually thought Southend started the second half better then we did and we took a little time to get our game going again.
Was Nico wanting to try and prove a point? Mansell played a good ball up to Billy Kee who was under some considerable pressure to hold onto the ball, he was strong and ran along the edge of the Southend box. He looked up and saw Nico advancing toward the box (still some 30 yards or so from goal, played the ball to him and Nico hit a wonder shot that the Southend keeper did well to stop from hitting the back of the net.
Robertson gave a needless free kick away just outside out box; the cross into the box looked a poor one that was going to go out of play a few yards past the right hand post. So surprised to see a Southend played had got round the back of our defence and headed the ball back toward our penalty spot. Lucky for us there was no Southend player any where near to fire the ball into our net.
We were under pressure a bit at this stage and failed to clear our box a number of times when all that was needed was a good foot put through the ball. Guy went and got himself a needless booking. I felt he had fouled the player who went down to the floor, Guy then went to him and pulled him up off the ground and then pushed him. He gave the ref no real choice but to book him as you can’t start putting your hands up to players and pushing them the way Guy did.
When I saw Robinson was going off I felt at first it was a negative move made by Paul Buckle, after all it was us under pressure from Southend. But it was not long after we went and scored and took the lead against the run of play as far as I was concerned.
A long ball was play up to Zebs and he was just inside the Southend box and I felt the ball was screaming out for him to volley it first time at goal. But he decided to bring it down and turn and I thought the chance had gone to make anything of the great pass played to him. He ended up near the corner flag and somehow got in a good low and hard cross from a tight angle and with a defender on him. The ball was dummied at the near post by? And there was Billy Kee four yards out to drive the ball over the line.
We never looked likely to hold onto the lead and I missed the part Billy Kee played in their equalizing goal. I say the part he played as when the ball hit the back of our net, fans around me were saying the goal was his fault. The ball ended up being played low and hard across our box from the left hand side, I thought Branston at the back post was going to deal with it and I was surprised the ball got to Barry Cor who bumbled it over the line.
Stanley who had a good game, played some great passes but did give the ball away a few times, took a shot on the edge of the right hand side of the box but it was never going to beat the Southend keeper.
At our end Robertson allowed Sturrock to beat him far too easily and while Sturrock ended up on the floor, he still managed to lay the ball on for a cracking shot from the edge of our box, that Danny Potter did well to beat out with both hands. We failed to clear the danger and the ball was played to our back post and a shot came in that this time Robertson did well to block as I don’t think Danny Potter would have got across the make the save.
Zebs was just inside the Southend box and sent in a good cross and up rose Stanley who got a powerful header on the ball that I thought was going in, but it went just past the left hand post.
Southend were still looking dangerous and the most likely to score, we got very lucky when their number 28 was played in on goal on the right hand side of our box. He had a clear shooting opportunity and maybe should have shot across the goal, but he went for the near post and hit the side netting.
Danny Stevens had got some of the crowd on his back not long aftger he came on, having to be back helping out with defending; he made a few very weak attempts to clear the ball straight to Southend players. But he must have shut up some of his critics as he went on a fine run and beat three players to get into the Southend box and get a great shot away. The keeper did well to make the save.
Right at the death Roberson so nearly scored with a header, it looked to me from where I was standing that it was Gilligan who stopped the ball from going into the net. A hard fought point and we did deserve it, did I hear on the radio we moved up to ninth place? If so then it certainly was a good point and never a case we dropped two.
Thought the ref blew a bit hot and cold, missed a number of fouls and never gave some that he should have. Lady linesman was spot on with every single decision she gave, just a shame she stayed over on the main grandstand side for the whole match.
So on to our players performances
Danny Potter was again did not have a great deal to do, made one good save but his kicking was not so goo today and put a few balls into touch.
Rowe-Turner did well enough when defending deep for us, felt it was a good move to take him off at half time as I feared a few fans might start getting on his back.
Branson strong as solid as ever, poor distribution at times and a few too many up and under clearances.
Robertson, very poor distribution and guilty of giving away cheap fouls, but on the whole solid enough when it mattered.
Mansell. Just what you expect from him, hard work and plenty of graft.
Oastier. You never seem to notice him that much out on the pitch, but I never saw him put a foot wrong when he did have the ball.
Stanley big and strong and put in another good shift wearing a TUFC shirt, played some delightful passes but gave the ball away a few times.
O’Kane very poor first half and no surprise not to see him come out for the second half, maybe the pitch was just to heavy for him
Billy Kee, worked hard and held the ball up well, deserved his goal and the only concern is he got injured and never looked like he got over it for the remaining time left in the game.
Zebs worked very hard and had a very good game for us, maybe should have taken one of the chances that came his way.
Robinson another great first half, full of running and always having the beating of his man, also never wastes a single pass.
Stevens, poor when he came on as he gave the ball away, had a great run and shot near the end of the game.
Gilligan read some great reports about his first game for us, not seen anything today that made me feel he was anything special, but once again the pitch may have played a big part in that.
Mark Boyce with Mr Gordon Furneaux
Aussie at half time doing his forking
Left the ground after the match and saw that bloody balloon up in the air ;D
