bluearmy
Youth Team
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- Aug 5, 2004
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Southend v Northampton
CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY OFF
Semi-final Second Leg
Roots Hall
Saturday, 21 May
Kick-off: 1815 BST
BBC Radio Five Live
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Southend are without striker Tes Bramble for this second leg play-off tie after he injured a hamstring in the 0-0 draw in the first game.
The Shrimpers could also be missing winger Mark Gower who has a groin injury and is rated as doubtful
Northampton boss Colin Calderwood will give late tests to Fred Murray, Josh Low and Martin Smith. All three have slight knocks but should be fit.
However Tommy Jaszczun, David Hicks and Ashley Westwood are ruled out.
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Southend midfielder Mark Bentley:
"Being the home side, we need a goal now.
"Away goals don't count, but getting a positive result to take back to Roots Hall was the most significant thing.
"People will be edgy again, but we have to be strong and play our normal game - they we can come out on top."
Northampton goalkeeper Lee Harper:
"I didn't really have too much to do in the first leg but I don't really mind that.
"We have defended a lot better recently - hopefully I won't have too much to do at Southend. If we could keep another clean sheet, that would be great.
"If we do that, we have got a great chance of going to Cardiff."
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BIG-MATCH FACTS
SOUTHEND UNITED and Northampton meet on Cup Final day in the last of the Play Off semi-finals to decide who will go on to meet either Macclesfield or Lincoln in the League Two final at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, 28 May (1500 BST). These clubs are level pegging, after an uneventful 0-0 first leg at Sixfields.
This is the Shrimpers first taste of Play Off football, although they're no strangers to the Millennium Stadium, having lost the last two LDV Vans Trophy finals in Cardiff, to Blackpool and Wrexham respectively.
Under Steve Tilson, Southend missed out on an automatic promotion place on the last day of the regular League season. They were leading the table with three matches to play, but 78 points was two short of Scunthorpe and Swansea in second and third and five short of champions Yeovil. Six of their 78 points came against Northampton. In addition to 'doubling' the Cobblers in the League, they knocked them out of the LDV Vans Trophy. This will be their fifth meeting of the season.
NORTHAMPTON TOWN head for Roots Hall with a tight defence that's kept four clean sheets in a row. Prior to the goalless first leg, Town ended the regular League season with successive 1-0, 2-0 and 3-0 victories and narrowly scraped into the Play Offs as a result.
The Cobblers have gained promotion once in three attempts through the Play Offs. Under Ian Atkins they finished fourth in Division Three (fourth tier) in 1996/97 and beat Cardiff in the semi-finals, before defeating another Welsh club, Swansea 1-0 at Wembley through a 90th minute goal from John Frain. The following year, as a Second Division side, they again reached Wembley after a fourth placed finish. This time after seeing off Bristol Rovers in the semi-finals, Grimsby proved a step too far at Wembley - losing 1-0. The Sixfields club will be involved in back-to-back Play Off campaigns. Last season a sixth placing in this division earned a semi-final meeting with Mansfield, and defeat after extra time and penalties.
Colin Calderwood is hoping to steer Northampton back into the third League level after an absence of two seasons, whereas Southend last played in the third tier in 1997/98, spending a single season there on their way down from Division One to Division Three when suffering successive relegations.
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Referee: Barry Knight (Kent)
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THIS SEASON'S LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Southend United 2-1 Northampton Town
30 October 2004 - Ref: Kevin Wright
Southend scorers: Gower 27, Gray 76
Northampton scorer: Sabin 87
Northampton Town 1-2 Southend United
19 February 2005 - Ref: Mike Thorpe
Northampton scorer: Smith 7
Southend scorers: Barrett 72, 90
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HEAD TO HEAD TOTALS
League: Southend 36 wins, Northampton 37, Draws 21
HEAD TO HEAD at Southend
League: Southend 26 wins, Northampton 37, Draws 21
CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY OFF
Semi-final Second Leg
Roots Hall
Saturday, 21 May
Kick-off: 1815 BST
BBC Radio Five Live
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Southend are without striker Tes Bramble for this second leg play-off tie after he injured a hamstring in the 0-0 draw in the first game.
The Shrimpers could also be missing winger Mark Gower who has a groin injury and is rated as doubtful
Northampton boss Colin Calderwood will give late tests to Fred Murray, Josh Low and Martin Smith. All three have slight knocks but should be fit.
However Tommy Jaszczun, David Hicks and Ashley Westwood are ruled out.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Southend midfielder Mark Bentley:
"Being the home side, we need a goal now.
"Away goals don't count, but getting a positive result to take back to Roots Hall was the most significant thing.
"People will be edgy again, but we have to be strong and play our normal game - they we can come out on top."
Northampton goalkeeper Lee Harper:
"I didn't really have too much to do in the first leg but I don't really mind that.
"We have defended a lot better recently - hopefully I won't have too much to do at Southend. If we could keep another clean sheet, that would be great.
"If we do that, we have got a great chance of going to Cardiff."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BIG-MATCH FACTS
SOUTHEND UNITED and Northampton meet on Cup Final day in the last of the Play Off semi-finals to decide who will go on to meet either Macclesfield or Lincoln in the League Two final at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, 28 May (1500 BST). These clubs are level pegging, after an uneventful 0-0 first leg at Sixfields.
This is the Shrimpers first taste of Play Off football, although they're no strangers to the Millennium Stadium, having lost the last two LDV Vans Trophy finals in Cardiff, to Blackpool and Wrexham respectively.
Under Steve Tilson, Southend missed out on an automatic promotion place on the last day of the regular League season. They were leading the table with three matches to play, but 78 points was two short of Scunthorpe and Swansea in second and third and five short of champions Yeovil. Six of their 78 points came against Northampton. In addition to 'doubling' the Cobblers in the League, they knocked them out of the LDV Vans Trophy. This will be their fifth meeting of the season.
NORTHAMPTON TOWN head for Roots Hall with a tight defence that's kept four clean sheets in a row. Prior to the goalless first leg, Town ended the regular League season with successive 1-0, 2-0 and 3-0 victories and narrowly scraped into the Play Offs as a result.
The Cobblers have gained promotion once in three attempts through the Play Offs. Under Ian Atkins they finished fourth in Division Three (fourth tier) in 1996/97 and beat Cardiff in the semi-finals, before defeating another Welsh club, Swansea 1-0 at Wembley through a 90th minute goal from John Frain. The following year, as a Second Division side, they again reached Wembley after a fourth placed finish. This time after seeing off Bristol Rovers in the semi-finals, Grimsby proved a step too far at Wembley - losing 1-0. The Sixfields club will be involved in back-to-back Play Off campaigns. Last season a sixth placing in this division earned a semi-final meeting with Mansfield, and defeat after extra time and penalties.
Colin Calderwood is hoping to steer Northampton back into the third League level after an absence of two seasons, whereas Southend last played in the third tier in 1997/98, spending a single season there on their way down from Division One to Division Three when suffering successive relegations.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Referee: Barry Knight (Kent)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THIS SEASON'S LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Southend United 2-1 Northampton Town
30 October 2004 - Ref: Kevin Wright
Southend scorers: Gower 27, Gray 76
Northampton scorer: Sabin 87
Northampton Town 1-2 Southend United
19 February 2005 - Ref: Mike Thorpe
Northampton scorer: Smith 7
Southend scorers: Barrett 72, 90
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HEAD TO HEAD TOTALS
League: Southend 36 wins, Northampton 37, Draws 21
HEAD TO HEAD at Southend
League: Southend 26 wins, Northampton 37, Draws 21
