Peter Pan
Guest
Well it all began last night at about 10pm with the suggestion of making the trip along the M25 and M4 to Swindon. Clearance was received from our driver's girlfriend and waking up after 6 hours sleep (watched the test match) to the tune of "we are going to Swindon", the excitment set in and sleep didn't seem to matter.
Leaving Bas Vegas at 12pm, I was slightly sceptical about making it on time but not a single worry. 2 hours and 5 minutes later we arrive at our destination - SN1 2ED.
Parked up, we decide to go and get some grub, 'The Frying Fish' was appealing, close to the ground and the only establishment we could see for some fast food from our entry. A 5 minute queue for my mate to decide he wants a burger. The fish and chip shop that only appeared to sell chips then decided they only sold 'Battered Burgers' ( I personally have not heard of this before) ... ****ed off my mate decides out of principle to leave... Burger King goes it...Standard 7/8 out of 10.
Hailstones decide to set in making the 3-5 minute walk to the other side of the ground seem 20 minutes. Match ticket purchased we enter the ground to the sound of BLUE ARMY! Excellent!
3pm and its Kick off... Barrett and Clarke were fired up clenching their fists before kick off... I was quietly excited about their passion...(ha) Well 10 minutes in and I was beginning to think that Basildon United could have been the better option. Yellow cards were about the only thing to mention at this moment in time. The ball mainly positioned in the middle of the pitch and overhit balls through to the goalkeeper were the name of the game. *step forward Simon Francis*
Young Simon decides now is his time to hit the match winner... He nicks the ball from the wide right and taps it past an oncoming player then inside again he cuts put it onto his left foot... As he is about to hit it, a defender comes sliding across the box and Simon strikes the ball left footed for what appears to be flying over the cross bar... With Francis still looking interested the ball then proceeds to loop up over the keeper (still thinking it is going over) It bounces beyond the keeper and Francis starts running away like a lunatic!! With 750-1000 shrimpers still unaware, at this moment, Southend score 1-0 - que all the southend team to bundle on top of Francis! Excellent... not much until this point but a goal.
The rest of the half was mainly Southend with Swindon's only real threat appearing to come from Mcnamee who didn't do too much in this half but had pace and trickery and potentially anytime he was capable of beating Francis, but possession was with the shrimpers mainly going through wide play Black and Gower.
Half Time
Out for the second half, more of the same, Southend on top controlling the game for half an hour. Gower attacking a fair bit down the left, but not being able to beat the first defender with his crossing we could not create too manay chances.
Walker was put in over the top from Mcormack i think and took it into the box and had a defender right by his side from about 8 years out but managed to get in a shot, from a now acute angle, which struck the keeper's body and went out for a corner.
Mulgrew was intent on attacking down the left a few times in the half and the tall left back had a solid display throughout.
Barnard come on for the slightly disappointing Robson-Kanu and was put through him self for a similar sort of chance as Walkers but on the other side of the box, the result the same, a save by the keeper.
The only other controversial thing was a whipped cross in from Gower with a free kick that had Barrett coming in to tap in at the back post and it appeared the defender handballed to deflect the ball away and out. All the Southend players in the box were appealing but the result was a corner.
After much domination until around 16.30 we decided to sit back on the lead and let Swindon into the game with Mcnamee looking ever dangerous on the left hand side for the home team. He was beating Francis for fun but no one could get onto his deliveries.
There were chances in these final 15 minutes with Painter hitting over from 10yards ish, A flashed shot from 18 yards on the left of the box being hit wide of the right post and in injury time a low flat hard cross put in from the right which escaped all the Swindon players and went out for a goal kick.
Full Time
The atmosphere was severely lacking from the home team today and Swindon really were a poor outfit. We controlled the game and it was only the last 15 minutes that looked worrying. For an away performance it was solid and professional and the blues deserved 3 points. A good day out was had by Peter Pan and the journey home via Windsor took 2 hours and 20 minutes so all round happy days.
Players of note - Walker and Mulgrew plus the 2 centre backs solid..
Peter Pan
Leaving Bas Vegas at 12pm, I was slightly sceptical about making it on time but not a single worry. 2 hours and 5 minutes later we arrive at our destination - SN1 2ED.
Parked up, we decide to go and get some grub, 'The Frying Fish' was appealing, close to the ground and the only establishment we could see for some fast food from our entry. A 5 minute queue for my mate to decide he wants a burger. The fish and chip shop that only appeared to sell chips then decided they only sold 'Battered Burgers' ( I personally have not heard of this before) ... ****ed off my mate decides out of principle to leave... Burger King goes it...Standard 7/8 out of 10.
Hailstones decide to set in making the 3-5 minute walk to the other side of the ground seem 20 minutes. Match ticket purchased we enter the ground to the sound of BLUE ARMY! Excellent!
3pm and its Kick off... Barrett and Clarke were fired up clenching their fists before kick off... I was quietly excited about their passion...(ha) Well 10 minutes in and I was beginning to think that Basildon United could have been the better option. Yellow cards were about the only thing to mention at this moment in time. The ball mainly positioned in the middle of the pitch and overhit balls through to the goalkeeper were the name of the game. *step forward Simon Francis*
Young Simon decides now is his time to hit the match winner... He nicks the ball from the wide right and taps it past an oncoming player then inside again he cuts put it onto his left foot... As he is about to hit it, a defender comes sliding across the box and Simon strikes the ball left footed for what appears to be flying over the cross bar... With Francis still looking interested the ball then proceeds to loop up over the keeper (still thinking it is going over) It bounces beyond the keeper and Francis starts running away like a lunatic!! With 750-1000 shrimpers still unaware, at this moment, Southend score 1-0 - que all the southend team to bundle on top of Francis! Excellent... not much until this point but a goal.
The rest of the half was mainly Southend with Swindon's only real threat appearing to come from Mcnamee who didn't do too much in this half but had pace and trickery and potentially anytime he was capable of beating Francis, but possession was with the shrimpers mainly going through wide play Black and Gower.
Half Time
Out for the second half, more of the same, Southend on top controlling the game for half an hour. Gower attacking a fair bit down the left, but not being able to beat the first defender with his crossing we could not create too manay chances.
Walker was put in over the top from Mcormack i think and took it into the box and had a defender right by his side from about 8 years out but managed to get in a shot, from a now acute angle, which struck the keeper's body and went out for a corner.
Mulgrew was intent on attacking down the left a few times in the half and the tall left back had a solid display throughout.
Barnard come on for the slightly disappointing Robson-Kanu and was put through him self for a similar sort of chance as Walkers but on the other side of the box, the result the same, a save by the keeper.
The only other controversial thing was a whipped cross in from Gower with a free kick that had Barrett coming in to tap in at the back post and it appeared the defender handballed to deflect the ball away and out. All the Southend players in the box were appealing but the result was a corner.
After much domination until around 16.30 we decided to sit back on the lead and let Swindon into the game with Mcnamee looking ever dangerous on the left hand side for the home team. He was beating Francis for fun but no one could get onto his deliveries.
There were chances in these final 15 minutes with Painter hitting over from 10yards ish, A flashed shot from 18 yards on the left of the box being hit wide of the right post and in injury time a low flat hard cross put in from the right which escaped all the Swindon players and went out for a goal kick.
Full Time
The atmosphere was severely lacking from the home team today and Swindon really were a poor outfit. We controlled the game and it was only the last 15 minutes that looked worrying. For an away performance it was solid and professional and the blues deserved 3 points. A good day out was had by Peter Pan and the journey home via Windsor took 2 hours and 20 minutes so all round happy days.
Players of note - Walker and Mulgrew plus the 2 centre backs solid..
Peter Pan
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