The fbm report - Donny play off 1st leg

[fbm]

STILL ALL TO PLAY FOR IN SEASIDE STALEMATE



Southend will have an uphill task if they are to make Wembley in the play offs this year as an impressive Doncaster outfit held the divisions form team to a goalless draw at Roots Hall this evening.

The stadium had a fantatsic atmosphere this evening, with the crowd really getting behind Southend at every opportunity. Donny's fans played their part too in an frenetic and exciting encounter.

As the game was televised live, I'm guessing most of the expats saw it so I won't offer my usual report, just my view on the tie and how it could now go.

What we saw tonight was a fired up Blues outfit that gave 110% and defended with the usual "they shall not pass" attitude.

Doncaster, for me, looked a very, VERY good side, that played a much better short game than we did. In fairness, I think the ball ran for them on a lot of occasions, but if a side deserved to be ahead at this stage it was probably them.

However, this is where I think we could be actually a little better off than we might think. The game is definitely theirs to lose now. They will be favourites, and looking at the reaction of their fans they think the game is won. Far from it - it's half time and 0-0. And because of Heffernans sending off, I don't think he can play in the return, which can only be to our benefit.

The longer the second leg stays goalless - or if we score - then their fans and players will show their nerves. I actually am happier with a 0-0 than a 1-0 victory, which I think would be an impossible lead to defend up there. The fact that we are level will send us out with a different mindset. Away goals count for nothing, so we have to go and win, and with our away record over the second half of the season being just about the best in the division, we can play without fear or expectation. And, as every Southend fan is aware, that is when we really turn it on.

RATNGS -


Flahavan - 8.5 - MOM - For once his distribution was quick and he claimed a few crosses well. There was one instance in the first half where he appeared rooted to his line from a free kick, but I blame Mulgrew as he dropped too deep too soon and that didn't allow Flavs to come and claim it.

Francis - 8 - Had Southends best effort of the first half with a shot that forced a good save from Sullivan and also nearly set up Barnard with a pinpoint 40 yard pass in the second half.
Mulgrew - 8 - Good free kick and corner delivery and has become the best left back since Sir Chris Powell.
Clarke - 8 - Solid and made some great clearances and tackles, but seemed to miss the ball that set Price through for their best chance.
Barrett - 8 - A tower of strength at the back as usual.

Gower - 7 - Started well and had a couple of attempts, but struggled to get the ball much in the second half.
McCormack - 8 - Very close for MOM. Ran all over the show, picked up a knock that I hope won't keep him out of the return leg.
Bailey - 7 - Slightly subdued and got unusually caught in possession 2 or 3 times.
Black - 5 - Usual underperformance. Surely his time is up?

Walker - 7.5 - Good for an hour, had several goal attempts, then faded.
Barnard - 7 - It didn't really happen for him tonight but usual committed effort.

Subs -

Revell - 6 - On for Black but didn't offer much by way of improvement.



The Ref -

Mr Taylor - 7 - I thought he was pretty good.

 

[Jam_Man]

I actually am happier with a 0-0 than a 1-0 victory,

Great review but if someone had asked you pre-game if you wanted a 0-0 or 1-0 Im pretty confident that you would have chosen the latter:)

 

[Andy_S]

In my opinion you're being VERY generous with those marks fbm. Thought we were 2nd best all night. Apart from Clarke, can't really think of anyone who did better then their opposite number.

 

[Jam_Man]

In my opinion you're being VERY generous with those marks fbm. Thought we were 2nd best all night. Apart from Clarke, can't really think of anyone who did better then their opposite number.

Think you are being VERY critical.

We were the better team first half and Donny came into it in the 2nd.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Mr Taylor - 7 - I thought he was pretty good.

I thought the ref was $h!t he gave us nothing Barney and Walker were being climbed over all night long

i was shocked when he actually showed a red card aswell.

 

[Jam_Man]

I thought the ref was $h!t he gave us nothing Barney and Walker were being climbed over all night long

i was shocked when he actually showed a red card aswell.

Barnard backs into defenders every game!!

So many people think he gets fouled alot when in reality if he stopped backing in and actually tried jumping he might not get "fouled" so much.

Thought Ref was ok, another ref would have dished out 4 or more yellows tonight.

 

[Andy_S]

Think you are being VERY critical.

We were the better team first half and Donny came into it in the 2nd.

Sullivan was forced into a sweat just the once, with Francis' effort. That was it. They kept the ball superbly and made us chase shadows, where as we lumped it forward time and time again, giving it away time and time again. We just didn't retain possession and unfortunately I'm of the opinion that we got massively lucky to come out of that with a 0-0.

 

[Andy_S]

I thought the ref was $h!t he gave us nothing Barney and Walker were being climbed over all night long

i was shocked when he actually showed a red card aswell.

Was a definite red. Saw it on the monitor in front of where I sit at the time and Heffernan was nothing short of a complete plank for doing that. Total idiocy. Not complaining though as it cuts out one of their dangermen for the 2nd leg. Although obviously they can just bring Hayter in! :unsure:

 

[fbm]

Great review but if someone had asked you pre-game if you wanted a 0-0 or 1-0 Im pretty confident that you would have chosen the latter:)

Actually no... I have had several discussions today with friends and the theme was the same. If we were going to win tonight, then 4-0 or more would be decent. I think if we had a 1 or 2 goal lead we would go up there looking to defend it, and we know how crap we are at that.

However, at 0-0, we can't do that. We have to win - as do they. It will change the way we play.

 

[Jam_Man]

Sullivan was forced into a sweat just the once, with Francis' effort. That was it. They kept the ball superbly and made us chase shadows, where as we lumped it forward time and time again, giving it away time and time again. We just didn't retain possession and unfortunately I'm of the opinion that we got massively lucky to come out of that with a 0-0.

Flahavan was hardly working his socks off...

 

[leeblue]

we really only played well for the last twenty five mins of the first and the last five mins, donny play the good stuff no doubt, we usually keep the ball much better than we did tonight, we certainly didnt do enough to win it but boy did the lads fight and scrap for everything certainly no fault in the grit and determination department

 

[Andy_S]

Flahavan was hardly working his socks off...

Our defence was though. Unlike their one.

 

[Sussex Shrimper]

Flavs - 8 - Made good stops when he had to, and distributed quickly and well.

Mulgrew - 8 - Solid at the back, and some superb set piece deliveries. Would be a great permanent addition to the squad.

Barrett - 8 - Some crucial blocks and unlucky not to score with a great effort late on.

Clarke - 8.5 - Starting to really look like the player that Blackpool fans raved about. Strong in the air, and starting to look more assured in possession too.

Francis - 6.5 - Blew hot and cold. Had our best effort of the first half and played a great ball to Barnard, but at other times was very sloppy in possession.

Gower - 7 - Plenty of effort and willingness to try to create things, but it just never quite came off for him.

Bailey - 7.5 - Below his usual level, but it's a pretty tough standard to maintain. Even when he's not at his best he'll never shirk a challenge and is a big part of the reason, IMO, that we're now capable of drawing games like tonight's instead of caving in when we're up against it.

McCormack - 7.5 - Never stopped running, and made a great break forwards during the first half.

Black - 6 - I've seen him play worse, but to be honest I just don't see that he offers us more in that position that the Moose or even Kanu would. Donny are so good in possession that we just can't afford to carry anyone.

Walker - 7.5 - Did a really good job in the first half of holding the ball up in some tricky circumstances. Like Gower he was lively without anything quite coming off for him. Seemed to tire a bit late on.

Barnard - 7 - Won a few headers and made some nice layoffs, but we never really created anything for him.

Revell - 6.5 - A more solid, harder working presence on the right than Black, but unlikely to ever offer anything else in that position.

0-0 it is then. I tend to feel that that's about as evenly poised a scoreline as you can get from a first leg. The home team might be slightly more likely to win the second leg, but then a score draw is more likely than a no score draw. We're a very decent side away from home so it's still all to play for.

Finally, I have to give credit to Doncaster. Some of their one and two touch football really is superb at this level. They made our midfield look average at times, and that takes some doing.

 

[Jam_Man]

Francis - 6.5 - Blew hot and cold. Had our best effort of the first half and played a great ball to Barnard, but at other times was very sloppy in possession.

Agree he was sloppy on a couple of occassions but though Francis was excellent tonight and certainly worthy of a higher score.

He really has come on leaps and bounds this season and looks a fantastic player now.

 

[Sussex Shrimper]

Agree he was sloppy on a couple of occassions but though Francis was excellent tonight and certainly worthy of a higher score.

He really has come on leaps and bounds this season and looks a fantastic player now.

In general I feel that he has a lot to offer, but his decision making isn't always the best. It probably didn't help him earn a better rating that I was in the East Yellows and some of his worse moments (e.g. passing straight to opponents in the first half, running sideways across his own back four on his left foot in the second) happened right under my nose. :)

 

[A Century United]

Actually no... I have had several discussions today with friends and the theme was the same. If we were going to win tonight, then 4-0 or more would be decent. I think if we had a 1 or 2 goal lead we would go up there looking to defend it, and we know how crap we are at that.

However, at 0-0, we can't do that. We have to win - as do they. It will change the way we play.

I had exactly this (text) discussion with my brother, and I am with fbm - a single goal lead would tempt us into playing to defend it, and we ain't no good at that game! I didn't think, before the game, that we would make Wembley, and I still don't - but I think we have a better chance, now that we have to go to Donnie and play our natural game.

 

[* ORM *]

FWIW I think some people have gone far too far over the top with the ratings

Vertically Challenged - 7.5 - Not the same keeper I saw in the last game at home
Mulgrew - 7 - No complaints
Barrett - 7.5 - That's the first time I've actually see him look like a skipper - rallied the troops fantastically and always around to scream in someone's ear or pat them on the back at the right time
Clarke - 8 A clear M-o-M performance for me - I'll forgive the misdirected long passes. He's a centre half and a class act.
Francis - 6 - Jeckyll and Hyde performance tonight
Gower - 7 - Unlucky with the shot in the first half, best chances of creativity generally involved him
Bailey - 6.5 Guilty of leaving big holes in the middle of the park in the second half
McCormack - 7 - Would play with crutches and both legs in plaster if he could
Black - 5 - Disappointing again - the only saving grace is that I still think he has a performance left in him this season
Walker - 6 - Decent first half, poor second half and if we weren't going to change our tactics should have been replaced by Revell
Barnard - 6 - If he spent more time going for the ball rather than trying to win free-kicks it might help
Revell - 6 -at least he put himself about

Cracking atmosphere. Good tense match. Not sure how the purists and neutrals would view it but I'm still on a high, despite the result.

 

[Skyblue]

Actually no... I have had several discussions today with friends and the theme was the same. If we were going to win tonight, then 4-0 or more would be decent. I think if we had a 1 or 2 goal lead we would go up there looking to defend it, and we know how crap we are at that.

However, at 0-0, we can't do that. We have to win - as do they. It will change the way we play.

Just what I said to my son leaving the ground. If we had won 1.0 we would have gone up to Donny and defended which isn't our game. Now we have to go and attack and win. I thought we looked the better side when we upt the tempo and took chances with through balls in the last 1/3 rather than trying to play Donnys short ball tatics which had us running round chasing shaddows.

 

[rowhst101rhall]

Here's my summary of the day onto a multi club L1 site, so some of the paragraph's are directed at comments made before I got back home and logged on:

Hi all this is the one you've been waiting for.......(hopefully!)

Here's the day:

Holiday day so nosed around the house, did the washing......yes bloke who sells them does knowhow to use them. Put my Mum's flat on the market as my brother sister and I have had to take the painful decision that she can't cope on her own with homecare any longer! Hade lunc came on here and by 4.30 got bored waiting and since he youngest at her own behest has given up supporting Liverpoo [not spelling] and decided she is a Blue of her own free will, (Nothing to do with her first visit being Soton away, and yes, she has been to Anfield, before anyone asks)! Apart from that first match, has no seen us lose, says Dad can we go now! we set off to The Hall. Called Bielsy after missing his PM due to work dictating not able to be on here midweek, and hopefully hosted him well!?

got to the Fish Plaice, £2.90 for half portion of THE best cod and chips this side of the Nagasaki badlands, Grimsby included, and off to the pub, now the Railway, as the Spread, SSSOOO much better for beer, is home only, so we can drink with Bielsy and better half.

He gets here at about 6.20, few beers and off to ground, timing perfext as we get the last two free flags coutesy of the club, in the West Bank and take our seats! And get the last two free flags in that part of the ground!

(There you go, longest intro since a New Order Track)!

The game you've all seen on Sky, or you wouldn't post on here, so I'm just going to make a few points from a Blue perspective, Bielsy willl of course do the Red to provide a balance.

Macca: Heart on sleve and the best £35k we have spent on a midfielder, as the orangy man would say, "cheap as chips". In your face superb energy levels, 'cos he covers every blade twice and still gives the ref the bollox! Good, when I first joined this community as a Blue we were the nice little friendly club that was good for a few points every year and facing relegation from the footballl league! Now we are a robust, fairly attractive side to watch who dare to show a bit of attitude on the pitch, to those we left in our wake, look and learn, to those we play against, if he was in your side you'd love it, so deal with it. He joined us three years ago, loved it, got dropped from Preston last year, and jumped at the chance to come down permanently [spelling] and we love him, 10 goals a season and bites, believe me!

Ref: Far too soft, and a prime example of a guy who probably acted as a goalpost at infant school 'cos he was sh1yte at football. What he let go at times was appalling, and what he gave at times was equally bad, obviously thought this was a non-contact netball match!

Walkers kick, well perhaps the cameras should have picked up dirty *******f Mills after the ball had gone, butt in the back. Not right, but for you Adam who named Walker as the player you would want in your team from our squad, and please have him, as we are going to be mugged to the amount of £200K for the nose down unaware twa*t, then give the balance to why he kicked out. If Walker walks,as you want then that's only after Mills!

How he [ Paul Taylor] never booked our left back Mulgrew for the sything down of a winger in full flight is beyond me, but hey, no it's not, it was purely because after jj, a player who I admire immensely, and when he and Clarky got dumped on the gravel seeing a goal kick out in the first half ended very creditable all well, then fell out with him, and after a three pointing there! there! and there! warning, followed through on gower, right in front of us, then gets a very stern lecture, 'cos the ref's bottled it, is then backed into a corner if he then books Mulgrew in front of a fullly charged Hall for a first offence. Totally wrong!

However all credit to Mulgrew later, when Heffernan lost it in the closing minutes. Hard challenge from Clarke, although irrellivent as offside had been give, then Heffernan decides to leave a foot in as he walks away, for a nice trample, Mulgrew points out the error of his ways, and he makes the "nut" gesture. Whether it makes contact or not tatah! no place for that. Nice to see Mulgrew vertical though and no "hard man" Aussie dive to the floor ah lah Old Trafford!

Now the game overview.

Donny imo, closed up shop and came for the draw, as when the tried to take us apart in a more open game this season at the Hall they lost out. Our forwards played too fay apart, and the forwards in return were too far away from our midfield and thus isolated. both sides showed they could play football and were happy with the ball at their feet, and I believe from an objective point of view, that this was a good advert for L1 football. However with Donny closing our full backs down effectively, we created few clear cut chances, although we did create the clearer chances. However we presented Donny with the clearest chance of the game, but Darryl was equal to the final touch and it was one of the most enjoyable (What am I on!!), nerve racking 0-0's I have seen in a long time.

As has been said, we had the better of the first half by far, and the second half was far more equal, with Donny looking dangerous on the break.

Now the tie is there's to lose at the Keepmoat, and with our away record, don't write us off, as Donny will have to play a more expansive game there, and Gower, Macca and Bailey will have a greater influence, as they have done all season, away from home, rather than at The Hall.

Next Friday's holiday is already booked, and this will go to the wire, however, all of us came away in the Blue corner happy with our display, and we're now unbeaten in 16, please, from a Blue perspective make that 18

UTB

Views of other Blues [link]

One last point, crowd 9,109......bollox. So we had 9292 when we played a relegated Port Vale, who had four seats per supporter with the North Bank in the same segregation point being applied, whilst Donny pack half the North Bank with not a spare seat in sight in the Blue parts of the ground! Nice one Southend!

 

[dloman]

the only player that really stood out for me was Clarke, Awsome display tonight won pretty much everything in the air and on the deck. The only time he got caught out was when someone in the back four didn't step up not sure if it was Mulgrew or AB.