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Blue tinted optimist⭐
HANDICAP FOOTBALL LETS BLUES DOWN AGAIN
Southend slipped to their 10th home defeat of the season as another nervous display at the Hall handed a huge boost to their visiting relegation rivals.
In the early stages there was little to separate the two teams. Barnsley were missing several first choice defenders but Southends new strikeforce, Harrold and Foran, played like they had never met each other before. Consequently the only efforts to test Colgan were from long range, impressive though they were.
Barnsley were closing Southend down at every opportunity though and looked more likely to score. The impressive Nardiello fired a curling effort home from inside the angle of the box after 15 minutes but at that stage there was no suggestion that Blues could not get back into it. Two further shots from Gower forced saves from Colgan but again, they were from distance. Then, a Barnsley corner taken by Reid from the right curled over Flahavan and Francis before lodging in the back of the net.
At 2-0 Barnsley discovered an extra gear and were playing like champions. A third looked likely every time they went forward and Nardiello nearly obliged after some poor defending but his could only poke the ball into the South upper at full stretch.
JCR hit a rasping drive that Colgan tipped over and from another effort from him the ball fell to Gower whose effort from 15 yards was gathered at the second attempt by the keeper.
Just before half time there was a disgraceful decision made by the ref that may have altered the course of the match. The Barnsley no 11, Brian Howard, deliberately handballed the ball having already been booked. For some reason however, the ref decided only to speak to the player at length and did not produce the second yellow card, much to Gower and Mahers disgust. This enabled Barnsley to sub the player early in the second half and effectively keep 11 men on the pitch. As they say, when your lucks out, it really is out.
Southend needed to change something in the second half but we got more of the same. After 51 minutes Flahavan made a poor effort at a punch which resulted in a Barnsley player having a free shot at goal from distande that Clarke cleared off the line for a corner. The reprieve was short-lived however as a well executed near post corner was met by Nardiello who made it 3-0.
With little on the bench to effect a change, Tilson made the only positive change available to him by bringing on the much criticised Bradbury for Foran who had performed up front like a little boy lost.
If anyone ever doubted what Bradbury brought to the side it was now in evidence. All of a sudden there was someone holding the ball up and bringing others into play and Southend had the change they needed. The Blues started to press on at Barnsley and upped the tempo. McCormack and Maher for the first time started to get into the game and Barnsley sat back.
With 20 minutes left, Bradbury headed against the bar, Barretts follow up was saved by the keeper and Gower finally fired home to reduce the arrears.
The previously delerious Barnsley followers were now rather more nervous as Southend launched attack after attack. JCR was inspired and wreaking havoc on the left but the multitude of shots and headers just would not go in. McCormack nearly reproduced his equalising volley of last week but this time Colgan was behind it. The feeling was that if Southend could get a 2nd, then the momentum would probably allow them to get a 3rd and then who knows? But Clarkes header wide from 12 yards represented the best chance and after that the belief seemed to drain away.
On a rare counter attack McCann hit the Southend bar and in the last minute a clever Hammell free kick hit the base of a post but today was a comeback too far and with other results going against us nothing less than 3 wins out of 3 will save Southend now - and even then it will depend on other games.
Roll on Plymouth then, where we will almost certainly play out of our skins to record a victory in true Southend baffling style. But it may well be too late.
Ratings -
Flahavan - 5 - At fault for 2 of the 3 goals.
Francis - 6 - One good effort on goal but didn't offer much going forward, unusually.
Hammell - 6 - Looks as though he has put on some weight. Unlucky with the late free kick but defensively shaky.
Clarke - 7 - Should have scored late on but again put in a very assured display.
Barrett - 8.5 - MOM. If sheer effort won games we'd be top of the league. This man would die for this club and it's a shame his superhuman efforts were unrewarded.
Gower - 7 - Provided several sparks and good efforts on goal. Was one of the only threatening players we had.
Maher - 6.5 - Outmuscled and outplayed for an hour. Passing not up to usual standard.
McCormack - 6.5 - Didn't get going until late on. When he has an off day we notice the difference.
JCR - 8 - A constant menace and again obviously would die for the cause.
Foran - 4 - The people who have been crying out for Foran up front now know why he has been played wide left. Hopeless.
Harrold - 5 - He tried hard and his effort cannot be criticised. However, today I felt he was more a hinderance than a help as he kept getting in the way, wasn't on anyone's wavelength at all and didn't have one attempt on goal.
Sub -
Bradbury - 7 - Did very well when he came on and enabled us to at least make a fight nof it.
The ref and assitants - 6 - aside from his monumetous howler re the potential sending off the ref wasn't too bad. The same could not be said of his assistant in front of the West, who was awful. He gave most of the decisions that were incorrect and I can only say that he was consistent as both sides were on the end of his ineptitude.
Southend slipped to their 10th home defeat of the season as another nervous display at the Hall handed a huge boost to their visiting relegation rivals.
In the early stages there was little to separate the two teams. Barnsley were missing several first choice defenders but Southends new strikeforce, Harrold and Foran, played like they had never met each other before. Consequently the only efforts to test Colgan were from long range, impressive though they were.
Barnsley were closing Southend down at every opportunity though and looked more likely to score. The impressive Nardiello fired a curling effort home from inside the angle of the box after 15 minutes but at that stage there was no suggestion that Blues could not get back into it. Two further shots from Gower forced saves from Colgan but again, they were from distance. Then, a Barnsley corner taken by Reid from the right curled over Flahavan and Francis before lodging in the back of the net.
At 2-0 Barnsley discovered an extra gear and were playing like champions. A third looked likely every time they went forward and Nardiello nearly obliged after some poor defending but his could only poke the ball into the South upper at full stretch.
JCR hit a rasping drive that Colgan tipped over and from another effort from him the ball fell to Gower whose effort from 15 yards was gathered at the second attempt by the keeper.
Just before half time there was a disgraceful decision made by the ref that may have altered the course of the match. The Barnsley no 11, Brian Howard, deliberately handballed the ball having already been booked. For some reason however, the ref decided only to speak to the player at length and did not produce the second yellow card, much to Gower and Mahers disgust. This enabled Barnsley to sub the player early in the second half and effectively keep 11 men on the pitch. As they say, when your lucks out, it really is out.
Southend needed to change something in the second half but we got more of the same. After 51 minutes Flahavan made a poor effort at a punch which resulted in a Barnsley player having a free shot at goal from distande that Clarke cleared off the line for a corner. The reprieve was short-lived however as a well executed near post corner was met by Nardiello who made it 3-0.
With little on the bench to effect a change, Tilson made the only positive change available to him by bringing on the much criticised Bradbury for Foran who had performed up front like a little boy lost.
If anyone ever doubted what Bradbury brought to the side it was now in evidence. All of a sudden there was someone holding the ball up and bringing others into play and Southend had the change they needed. The Blues started to press on at Barnsley and upped the tempo. McCormack and Maher for the first time started to get into the game and Barnsley sat back.
With 20 minutes left, Bradbury headed against the bar, Barretts follow up was saved by the keeper and Gower finally fired home to reduce the arrears.
The previously delerious Barnsley followers were now rather more nervous as Southend launched attack after attack. JCR was inspired and wreaking havoc on the left but the multitude of shots and headers just would not go in. McCormack nearly reproduced his equalising volley of last week but this time Colgan was behind it. The feeling was that if Southend could get a 2nd, then the momentum would probably allow them to get a 3rd and then who knows? But Clarkes header wide from 12 yards represented the best chance and after that the belief seemed to drain away.
On a rare counter attack McCann hit the Southend bar and in the last minute a clever Hammell free kick hit the base of a post but today was a comeback too far and with other results going against us nothing less than 3 wins out of 3 will save Southend now - and even then it will depend on other games.
Roll on Plymouth then, where we will almost certainly play out of our skins to record a victory in true Southend baffling style. But it may well be too late.
Ratings -
Flahavan - 5 - At fault for 2 of the 3 goals.
Francis - 6 - One good effort on goal but didn't offer much going forward, unusually.
Hammell - 6 - Looks as though he has put on some weight. Unlucky with the late free kick but defensively shaky.
Clarke - 7 - Should have scored late on but again put in a very assured display.
Barrett - 8.5 - MOM. If sheer effort won games we'd be top of the league. This man would die for this club and it's a shame his superhuman efforts were unrewarded.
Gower - 7 - Provided several sparks and good efforts on goal. Was one of the only threatening players we had.
Maher - 6.5 - Outmuscled and outplayed for an hour. Passing not up to usual standard.
McCormack - 6.5 - Didn't get going until late on. When he has an off day we notice the difference.
JCR - 8 - A constant menace and again obviously would die for the cause.
Foran - 4 - The people who have been crying out for Foran up front now know why he has been played wide left. Hopeless.
Harrold - 5 - He tried hard and his effort cannot be criticised. However, today I felt he was more a hinderance than a help as he kept getting in the way, wasn't on anyone's wavelength at all and didn't have one attempt on goal.
Sub -
Bradbury - 7 - Did very well when he came on and enabled us to at least make a fight nof it.
The ref and assitants - 6 - aside from his monumetous howler re the potential sending off the ref wasn't too bad. The same could not be said of his assistant in front of the West, who was awful. He gave most of the decisions that were incorrect and I can only say that he was consistent as both sides were on the end of his ineptitude.