SOUTHEND United made it five wins in six games with a comfortable 2-0 victory against struggling AFC Fylde at Roots Hall tonight.
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Comfortable victory - for Southend United at Roots Hall
(Image: FOCUS IMAGES)
By Chris Phillips. Chief sports reporter.
SOUTHEND United made it five wins in six games with a comfortable 2-0 victory against struggling AFC Fylde at Roots Hall tonight.
The Shrimpers wasted a whole host of clear cut chances before Josh Walker fired them in front of the stroke of half-time.
And Blues made sure of another three points when Fylde defender Emeka Obi headed the ball into his own net midway through the second half.
Kevin Maher’s side started brightly with James Golding headed an early James Morton corner over the crossbar before the visitors hit back with Danny Ormerod seeing his header from Nick Haughton’s corner impressively tipped over the crossbar by Blues goalkeeper Nathan Harness.
The on loan MK Dons shot-stopper then smothered a curling effort from Haughton before the Shrimpers wasted two excellent opportunities to go in front.
With 16 minutes on the clock, Jack Bridge set Gus Scott-Morriss clear in the right hand side of the penalty area – only for the wing-back to fire wide of the right post.
Moments later, Charley Kendall somehow failed to convert Macauley Bonne’s left wing cross from close range before Walker also wasted an excellent chance to go in front.
The forward was found by a fine right wing cross from Kendall but his low shot was blocked by the legs of Fylde goalkeeper Ben Winterbottom before Walker also fired the rebound wide of the left post.
With the Shrimpers staying on top, another opportunity soon came and went when Morton’s brilliant left wing cross was headed over by an unmarked Bonne from close range.
Flyde survived the spell of pressure but Blues were soon threatening again with Bridge seeing his curling cross-shot punched clear by Winterbottom in unconvincing fashion.
And the Shrimpers made their pressure count on the stroke of half-time with Walker charging through the centre of the park before sending a low 25 yard shot into the bottom left hand corner of the net.
The strike was Walker’s fourth goal of the season and his first at Roots Hall in a competitive fixture since signing in the summer.
Blues made a change at the break with the newly signed Tom Hopper coming on to replace Bonne in attack.
But it was Walker who soon took centre stage again as he got goalside of his defender before quite clearly appearing to be brought down.
However, referee Robert Massey-Ellis somehow though otherwise and opted to show Walker a yellow card after adjudging him to have dived.
Shortly after the controversial decision, Fylde came close to equalising when Joe Riley impressively swapped passes with Haughton being seeing his low shot well saved by the onrushing Harness.
Blues were soon back posing problems once again and doubled their lead in the 66th minute when Scott-Morriss’ dangerous right wing cross was inadvertently headed into the back of his own net by Obi.
Shorty after the second goal, the Shrimpers made their second change of the night with Keenan Appiah-Forson replacing Walker.
Blues remained on top with Scott-Morriss curling a 25 yard free-kick over the crossbar before Appiah-Forson fired wide of the right post when well placed.
With play soon switching back to the other end of the field, Fylde substitute Gavin Massey saw a 20 yard shot pushed to safety by Harness.
The Shrimpers soon responded with a double change which saw George Wind and Oli Coker enter the action in place of Scott-Morriss and Noor Husin.
Ben Goodliffe then also replaced Bridge to help Blues comfortably see out the closing stages of the contest.
