Jingle bells jingle bells...

[Sandbach Shrimper]

jingle all the way, oh what fun it is to see Southend win away!

Got back from Wycombe about an hour ago. Not a brilliant game to watch, but sometimes you have to win ugly. Last season we would have lost this match because Wycombe put us under a lot of pressure in the second half, but we worked hard and defended superbly. First half we were the better side and could have scored 3 or 4. The second half was a bit disappointing as we just put 11 men behind the ball and the strikers got no service at all and there was very little movement.

Excellent support from the away end. I'd say there were at least 800 away fans, probably more, and where I was sitting the atmosphere was excellent. I think it probably gave the lads that little bit of extra help when they were defending in the second half. The Causeway Stadium is a nice ground, and the view from the away end was very good. Saying that, the ticket prices were a joke as was the queue to get them.

Here are my ratings:

Griemink 7 - Made some good saves during a busy second half, and his kicking was a lot better than against Chester.

HUNT 9 - MoTM. There were a few contenders for MoTM but Hunt gets it from me. He defended superbly against some very good Wycombe attackers and also got forward and got some crosses in.

Barrett 8 - Defended excellently when he really needed to.

Edwards 8 - Solid alongside Barrett, he deserves to play against Mansfield in my opinion.

Wilson 7 - Defended well but didn't get forward much.

Gower 6 - Lively first half before being subbed at half time.

Maher 5 - Poor performance from the skipper. Passing was a lot worse than usual.

Bentley 6 - Fairly quiet game.

Pettefer 7 - Good first half, but didn't get many chances in the second to surge down the wing. Got stuck in nevertheless.

Dudfield 6 - Few glimpses of skill but got no service, and I don't think Eastwood passed it to him once.

Gray 7 - Like most of the strikers and midfielders, had a lively first half but just had to sit back and defend in the second.

Eastwood 8 - Excellent performance capped off with a super goal. Tried his best to make things happen in the second despite terrible service. One criticism, he was too greedy on a couple of occasions but that aside it was a good performance.

Referee - 3/10 - Don't know his name but he wasn't very good. Any little shove or push that a Southend player comitted was penalised, but when a Wycombe player did the same he let it go. Didn't let the game flow and missed a series of handballs from Wanderers. Managed to keep is cards in his pocket, though.

Roll on Tuesday. 4 points from the next 2 games would be satisfactory as after that we have Kiddy which is a definite 3 points

Life at the top is good.

 

[east stand drummer boy]

Can i just add lino on the right hand side in first half, 0/10 does he not know the offside rule tyson was about 1 yards offside but gave a goal kick?! after the ball was smacked upfield, didnt once flag for offside!

 

[The General]

I'd also say there was about 1500 there (which i really didn't expect) as they away end holds 2000. The stewards were told to expect 500 by the club. Pr*ts.

 

[Hawkwell Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (The General @ Dec. 26 2004,21:44)]The stewards were told to expect 500 by the club. Pr*ts.

That is probably because they only took 537 to Roots Hall earlier on in the season.

 

[Upminster Blue]

Quote[/b] (The General @ Dec. 26 2004,21:44)]I'd also say there was about 1500 there (which i really didn't expect) as they away end holds 2000. The stewards were told to expect 500 by the club. Pr*ts.

The away stand holds about 2,000. There was plenty of space at the sides and other odd sets. I'd say there were about 1,200 Shrimpers there. Anyone know the official figure?

As for only expecting 500, what a joke. We took nearly double that to Cambridge the last two Boxing Day's, which is a similar distance, depsite being near the bottom of the table at the time. We also took over 400 to Northampton mid-week in the LDV. There was always going to be 1,000+ there today.

Overall, good to see the away following increasing steadily in number. Looking forward to a good turn-out at Kidderminster.

 

[The Eternal Optimist]

Quote[/b] (shrimpboy @ Dec. 26 2004,19:39)]Maher 5 - Poor performance from the skipper. Passing was a lot worse than usual.

Bentley 6 - Fairly quiet game.

I disagree with the ratings for the central midfielders. Bentley chased down a lot all game, made crucial toe pokes and blocks and caused wycombe players to make errors with his aggressive crowding out style. He did have a few quiet patches but was strong.

Maher is a good outlet, has a cool head and can hold the ball well. He made some poor passes but made a lot of tackles and did not lose his head or back chat an arse of an official.

Good team performance all round. Only complaint was the weather. I froze my nads off!

 

[* ORM *]

2/10 for the referee ? Don't be a tw*t.

Bearing in mind a lot of referees would have called that game off I think a lot of credit should go to the the match officials, Wycombe groundstaff. both managers and both sets of players for not diving in and sliding around.

Sure the referee made a couple of errors but he was also trying to keep the game flowing and at times he can only rely on the judgement of his linos.

At least a 7 and possibly an 8.

As to our team I fully agree with Hunt m.o.m. with massive ticks for Barrett and Edwards, Pettefer (first half), Bents (second half) and Bart. Maher's distribution was very poor but his tackling, hassling and marshalling was first class. Super Cheese Wilson had a good game and great tactics from Tilson/Brush to put Gower on the right in the first half. If Gower had been left midfield we'd have had a lot of problems defensively.

The first half performance was outstanding and some of the football we played in those conditions was terrific. A couple of scares at the back but more than equalled by the chances we created for ourselves. Second half was a bit ropey but what the hell, ANOTHER clean sheet and 3 more points.

Another couple of victories and we should be guaranteed not to go down.

 

[Fat Man Dancing]

was speaking to a woman steward as we queued to get into the game and she assured us there would be plenty of room in the fenced off central section of the away stand as it held 800 and the southend united office had told them to expect 400. Whoever said this at the club has never been to an away match and especially an away match on boxing day. As the woman was extremly smug as she told us this it gave us great satisfaction to watch the panic on their faces as the southend just kept on coming and they had to open the whole of the away end and frantically call up people to steward the end. Finished up 1,200 so southend office please be aware there will not be 400 at kiddy and let them be prewarnedl

 

[Hooly]

Quote[/b] (Fat Man Dancing @ Dec. 27 2004,08:36)]Finished up 1,200 so southend office please be aware there will not be 400 at kiddy and let them be prewarnedl

Yes this particularly, vitally & humungously important at Kiddy.

If I get there & find that there's a shortage of either the wonderful Cottage Pies or the superb Goulash Soup I shall be most upset!!  

  So Scriv get on the phone to Kiddy & tell them they're to expect a large crowd, & that's just McNasty.  If I've time to watch the football after eating I will do my best!  

 

[AllAtSea]

Quote[/b] (shrimpboy @ Dec. 26 2004,20:39)]The Causeway Stadium

 

[Hooly]

Quote[/b] (AllAtSea @ Dec. 27 2004,11:17)]

Quote[/b] (shrimpboy @ Dec. 26 2004,20:39)]The Causeway Stadium

 

Oh!!  Hope you weren't like a man driving an "inferior German vehicle" who, having left the nice pub we found in Little Marlow, decided to ignore the large signs for "Causeway Stadium" & the football logo helpfully provided and set off on a tour of High Wycombe looking for Adams Park!  

 This despite having a programme with the directions in as well.  

  Oh well, there's no helping some people.  

 

[Hong Kong Blue]

Quote[/b] (Hooly @ Dec. 27 2004,09:04)]If I get there & find that there's a shortage of either the wonderful Cottage Pies or the superb Goulash Soup I shall be most upset!!  

 

Hear hear. Both the Aggie broth and cottage pie are top class and make the trip to Aggbrough one of the highlights of the footballing calendar. I expect riots will occur if insufficient quantities of either are provided. Kiddie have been warned.

 

[TerryintheWest]

I shall be particularly peeved if the "King & Castle" hasn't got at least two hand-pumped milds on!!

 

 

 

[BrettieAngell]

Unfortunately I can't really afford to make the trip on the Monday!

So far I have managed six away trips this season and have only seen one defeat (at Yeovil) so maybe I should make the effort!