Memories of Southend Utd away..

October 2003, freezing cold Tuesday night down there in the JPT 1st Round. Barely 100 Gashead's that night, certainly one of my more hardcore trips.

Anyway, we played s**t, took the lead through Haldane, conceded almost straight away and lost it on the Silver goal rule! If anyone remembers what that absolute farce was.

Horrendous journey, made worse by the fact we returned there in the league 2months later & done them 1-0!

I don't think we've won there more than twice in the last 15 years?! Here's hoping for more luck on this weekends visit.

anybody going tomorrow who can give me a lift , will help with petrol . pm me please.

As an Essex based Gashead with family in Southend, it's always an easy and enjoyable enough away trip. Seen us lose and draw there enough times, a memorable 1-1 highlight from a few years ago being Matt Harrold scoring our equaliser and celebrating the length of the pitch after his old club's faithful hurling ginger-based banter at him. I remember in the same game Scott Bevan making the save of his life from a Mohsni thunderbolt.

from 2008 - Start of the year show

There were no sticks of rock, mods, or rockers, but the Gasheads who made the effort were in fine voice. It wasn’t too cold, the rain held off, and they sang ‘Hinton’s a goal machine’ while the team warmed up in front of us. Craig looked suitably abashed, but everyone was in good spirits, and my son was chuffed that Ronnie Lescott wears the same boots as him. Sarfend had a loud drum backed up by a quiet-ish crowd, and a big flag saying ‘Bucket and Spade FC’.

Rovers fielded the same ‘squad team’ as last week, with Effing Brilliant and Goal Machine Hinton in the middle, Lescott and JJ at the back, Pipey, Lines, Campbell and Sam from the Shire across the middle, Willo at the front and Lambo in the hole. Sarfend fielded a bunch of blokes and ex-Gas/ex-Divisional Player of the Year Adam Barrett, who looked a bit shorter and thinner than I remembered him.

The Gasheads sparked up with ‘Paul Trollope’s Blue and White army’ from the 1 o’clock kick-off until about quarter-past without once stopping. Meanwhile, there was a football match going on. Rovers started well, looked very comfortable on the ball, and looked the sharper of the two teams for the first 5 minutes with Williams running his socks off as usual, but with a much more confident air about him than in the past. I took that as a very good sign.

Southend then found their feet, and fifteen minutes of intriguing football followed between two well-matched teams. Rovers were trying their passing thing, Sarfend doing a mixture of neat triangles in the final third and big hoofs for their lively-looking number 11, Morgan, to take on Elliot for pace. Southend were also physical in the tackle, though Rovers were coping with it alright.

The Southend midfield started to squeeze out our boys in the 50:50’s, and they had a good period for about 10 minutes, but then Rovers’ midfield reasserted itself and Rovers put together a strong finish to the half. The teams went in honours-even, though Rovers had perhaps shaded it.

It was enjoyable stuff, though, and both teams had contributed to a good half of football. I read on this forum that we had a stone-cold penalty claim turned down, but you couldn’t really see from where we were. The ref was giving decisions to both sides, but it was hard to predict what decision he was going to give.

Second half started with more of the same, with Rovers becoming increasingly dominant. The Gasheads sensed this, and started shouting for Rovers to make it count. Hey bloody presto, Campbell feeds Lambert down the left, who pulls it back beautifully for Willo inside the box on the right. It’s the sort of opportunity that Williams gets paid to take, and which he would have fluffed 3 months ago, but this time he slots it home inch-perfect. Happy New Year!

Southend then start to assert themselves, and we drop off even though there’s still half-an-hour left. Campbell is still putting a foot in in the middle, Lines is in-and-out, but Sammy and Pipey are dropping off. Flapper starts to get busy, and makes some excellent saves, before another great break down the left requires Sammy to lay the perfect pass forward for Willo. But he doesn’t, he over-hits it and I wonder if its going to be our day after all.

Sarfend continued to press, with lots of ball to the left wing but I wondered why – Ronnie Lescott jockeyed and jockeyed, and their bloke really didn’t see much change out of him. Elliot looked strong at the back.

Dis comes on for Pipey, CC for Igoe and then Walks for Lambo, and the last ten minutes work out more comfortable than the previous 20, and the Gasheads asking for Goal Machine to come up for our corners. It was a good display, with Rovers shading it overall though the result was a little hard on Sarfend. But the boys worked hard for it today, we’re probably due a bit of luck, and I’d take 3 points over a stick of rock any day.

First trip there myself tomorrow. Looking forward to it, meant to be a bit of an old school ground despite being all-seater. Any advice on pubs, we're going by train and arriving at Prittlewell (closest station to the ground about 12.30-1ish).

hoping so tw

Roots Hall low-light - the 20 minute Collymore hat-trick in the early 90's...