Official Match Thread Southend United v Maidenhead United

[The Big Dady]

The Official Match Thread brought to you by ShrimperZone.com

So here we are, our eighth home game in the Vanarama National League of the 2021/22 season. This is the Dream Team’s 3rd home game in charge since Kevin Maher and his management team were appointed at the Mighty Shrimpers.

Our 8th home is against Maidenhead United



It is now time for ALL of us to get behind him and the team whether you are at Roots Hall, listening on the radio, listening on Blues TV, you can all still make that famous "Roots Hall Roar”.

Our 8th Southend United Vanarama National League Home Team of the 2021/22 season



The Roots Hall pitch looks fantastic and is ready for action at 19.45 pm Tuesday 7th December 2021 against Maidenhead United. It looks like the strong winds of the afternoon will subside but they will still be fresh, the chance of some rain, with the wind chill it will feel freezing for this evening’s game at Roots Hall.



Here is the weather forecast for this evening’s game at Roots Hall


Current League home record after 7 home games

Won 2
Dawn 1
Lost 4
Goals scored 9
Goals conceded 13

League Positions Last Season

23rd (2020/21 Season) EFL League Two Southend United (Relegated)
13th (2020/21 Season) Vanarama National League Maidenhead United

League Positions Current Season

20th (2021/22 Season) Vanarama National League Southend United
21st (2021/22 Season) Vanarama National League Maidenhead United

Recent League Position Change

Previous Meetings

We have never played Maidenhead United before

Head to Head record

Southend United Wins: 0
Draws: 0
Maidenhead United Wins 0

Current Form

Southend United L W L L W
Maidenhead United W L L L L

Come On You Blues!​

 

[The Big Dady]

Managers Pre-match Views​

Maidenhead United

Maidenhead United Manager Alan Devonshire match interview before travelling over to Roots Hall for this evening’s game

Maidenhead United Manager Alan Devonshire​

Post match interview after Barnet 3-0 defeat, Covid, and looking forward to trip to Southend United

Southend United

Keven Maher talks to the Southend United ifollow before this evening’s game with Maidenhead United

Kevin Maher during his interview on ifollow before this evening’s game with Maidenhead United​

Link to interview
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Keven Maher talks to the Southend United ifollow before this evening’s game with Maidenhead United

Maher: “All we can control is what we do”.

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Head coach Kevin Maher wants his team to take control of their fate now, having been given a helping hand at the weekend.

Results elsewhere saw Blues move out of the Vanarama National League relegation zone.

Attention now turns to what they can do to ensure that is still the case come 10pm tonight.

And with the chance to open up a gap between them and the bottom three, it would also be a great time to record back-to-back wins this season.

Talking ahead of hosting Maidenhead United, who sit just below them in the standings but level on points, Maher wants to build on the victory his team secured last time out against Altrincham.

"It was disappointing we haven’t been able to follow up the win we had at Altrincham until now but we’ve had a good week on the training ground," said Maher.

"We got a lot of good work into them and hopefully we’re in a good position for the game now.

"There’s still a good buzz around, the players have got a smile on their face and they’ve trained ever so well to be fair.

"They’ve put a lot of effort in with a batch of games coming up over Christmas, so we got a lot of good work into the players fitness-wise as well. We should be in a good place."

Beating teams around you is often defined as a ‘six-pointer’, and with the Magpies in 21st place due to their -15 goal difference compared to Southend’s -12 in 20th place, Maher will know the importance of tonight’s fixture.

"You will get weekends like the one we’ve just had, when things look to go your way and then you’ll have ones when they don’t.

"All we can control is what we do. At home we want to start making it a difficult place to come.

"Hopefully the players take a bit of freedom for moving out [the relegation zone]. Everyone looks at the table, even when they say they don’t. It’s nice to be out of it but we have to perform.

"Off the back of a good away win last time out, what got us that result was hard work and that’s what we need to repeat again.

"We need the same intensity and hopefully the result will be a positive one, but it’s going to be tough.

"Whatever game it is, unless you do the basics well you’ll come unstuck. We need to give ourselves a good base to play from, but we’re at home and I’d expect us to come with the same attitude and application."

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Kevin Maher talked to the Chris Phillips at the Echo before this evening’s game against Maidenhead United

Kevin Maher ready for Southend United's crunch clash with Maidenhead

Back in action - Southend United host Maidenhead United on Tuesday night​

Southend United boss Kevin Maher cannot wait to finally try and build on Blues’ win at Altrincham.

The Shrimpers host relegation rivals Maidenhead United at Roots Hall on Tuesday night having gone 10 days without a game.

And Maher is relishing returning to action.

“It was disappointing we haven’t been able to follow up the win we had at Altrincham until now but we’ve had a good week on the training ground,” said Maher.

“We’ve got a lot of good work into them and hopefully we’re in a good position for the game on Tuesday night.

“There’s a good buzz around the place still and they’ve trained ever so well.

“A lot of work has gone into this week ahead of what is going to be a busy December for us.”

Blues had been due to face Yeovil Town on Saturday but the match was postponed due to the Glovers still being in the FA Cup.

But, despite not being in action, the Shrimpers moved out of the relegation zone on goal difference following Maidenhead’s 3-0 defeat at Barnet.

And Maher is hoping that will provide a psychological boost to his players.

“Hopefully they take it as that,” said the Blues boss.

“Everyone looks at the table, even when they say they don’t.

“It’s nice to be out of it, of course, but we have to perform.

“We need the same intensity as last time against Altrincham and hopefully the result will be a positive one.”

But Maher is expecting a tricky evening, despite Maidenhead having been beaten in their last five games.

“Maidenhead have had a poor run of results but we know it will be tough and we will have to perform to get the points,” said Maher.

“It’s going to be a tough game but we’re at home and we want to start making it a difficult place to come.”

Five of Maher’s first seven games in charge have come away from home

Link to full story
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The Big Preview

Southend United vs Maidenhead United

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Overview:

Southend United and Maidenhead United face off under the lights at Roots Hall this evening in what can be described as a six-pointer in the lower reaches of the Vanarama National League standings.

The Magpies slipped below Blues on Saturday, despite Kevin Maher’s side not playing, thanks to their 3-0 defeat by Barnet which saw them fall into the relegation zone on goal difference.

Maher’s men will be buoyed by their impressive 2-1 victory over Altrincham 10 days ago, and they have been given extra preparation time for the visit of Alan Devonshire’s side after the postponement of the original fixture two weeks ago.

And the hosts will be gunning for back-to-back victories, a feat they have yet to achieve this season.

Tonight’s clash will be both sides’ first meetings in their history.

The Opposition:

The club, which was founded in 1870, is now within the midst of its fifth season in the National League since their promotion from the National League South in 2016/17.

Manager Devonshire has impressively held his side in this division, the highest level that the club have competed at.

The ex-West Ham United player, who is now in his seventh year of his second spell with the Magpies, has established his side as steady fifth tier competitors despite their recent slip down the table.

And the opposition will feature some familiar faces for Blues fans, as ex-Southend figures Sam Barratt, Kane Ferdinand and Emile Acquah will all be returning to Roots Hall in hope of facing their former side.

Since their arrival to the National League, the Magpies have been entrenched in mid-table mediocrity alongside, at times, flirtations with the relegation zone.

Their familiarity in this situation will stand them in good stead as they head to Roots Hall with the three points on offer significant for both sides.

Form:

Last Saturday’s 2-1 victory in Greater Manchester was a welcome buck in the trend of the Blues’ form guide, the three points being their first away from home since their opening day 1-0 win over King’s Lynn Town.

And now Maher’s side are hunting back-to-back wins as they return to home soil, where they have won three of their last five matches in all competitions.

In opposition, a leaky defence has been the root of the Magpies’ issues, their rapid slip down the table has been resultant of that.

In their last four matches, Devonshire’s side have conceded 18 goals; they were spectacularly beaten 7-4 in their FA Cup first round tie away at FC Halifax before 4-1 and 4-0 league defeats to Dagenham and Redbridge and Boreham Wood respectively, their most recent setback came in the form of a 3-0 defeat away at Barnet.

Maidenhead have emerged victorious twice in their last seven matches. They came back-to-back as Devonshire’s men beat Woking 3-2 three days before defeating Wrexham by the same score line.

From The Boss:

"It was disappointing we haven’t been able to follow up the win we had at Altrincham until now but we’ve had a good week on the training ground," said Maher.

"We’ve got a lot of good work into them and hopefully we’re in a good position for the game now. A lot of work has gone into this [past] week.

"You will get weekends like the one we’ve just had, when things look to go your way and then you’ll have ones when they don’t.

"All we can control is what we do and at home we want to start making it a difficult place to come.

"Everyone looks at the table, even when they say they don’t, it’s nice to be out of it [the relegation zone] but we have to perform.

"We need the same intensity as last time and hopefully the result will be a positive one but it’s going to be tough.

"They’ve had a poor run of results but we know it will be tough and we will have to perform."

Blues Team News:

Lewis Gard has re-joined the ranks at Roots Hall after completing his loan spell at Heybridge Swifts.

Tom Clifford and Abu Ogogo have stepped up their training in a bid to regain match fitness, but Maher conceded that tonight’s clash is ‘possibly too early for them.’

Josh Coulson has been back running following his recovery but will still be out when Blues face the Magpies.

Simeon Akinola and Jack Bridge also remain out.

Ref Watch:

Scott Tallis will oversee proceedings as the Magpies come to town.

His last visit to Roots Hall was just two months ago, as he took charge when the Blues were defeated 4-0 by Chesterfield.

He has issued 29 yellow cards in his nine National League matches so far this season, he is yet to brandish a red.

Tallis will be assisted by Alan Cresswell and Farai Hallam, with Aaron Conn as fourth official.

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Tickets

Tickets are on sale for the game from the Blues Box Office online, on the phone (0344 477 0077) or in person.

Tickets cost £20 for adults, £15 for concessions, £10 for juniors (9-16) and £5 for children (8 and under).

How to Follow:

Blues fans unable to attend Roots Hall will still be able to follow all the live action by subscribing to Blues TV where you’ll get live match commentary from the BBC Essex team from all first-team matches this season.

Blues TV costs £4.49 per month or a one-off cost of £45 for the season, with your subscription not only giving you match commentary, but also exclusive access to extended match highlights, full pre-match press conferences, interviews, features and more.

You can also follow live minute-by-minute updates on social media via the Club’s official Twitter account by following @SUFCRootsHall on Twitter, which will ensure you get all the latest news and more throughout the 2021/22 season.

Matchday programme:

The matchday programme ‘Roots Review’ will be available to buy outside the stadium from the programme hut and the West Stand ticket office.

The programme hut is based at the bottom of the main car park off Victoria Avenue, which along with a dedicated programme only window at the west stand ticket office, will be the two main points for supporters to buy a programme.

Reduced quantities will be available from some bars and kiosks also.

A digital matchday programme can be bought via MatchDay Digital.

Apple users can download the app here, while Android users can download a copy via the Google Play store here.

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Come On You Blues!​

 

[The Big Dady]

Maidenhead Team

 

[Blue Yonder]

Clifford on the bench. Great news.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I’ve just had an alert saying match off. Surely not?

 

[jarvisyeh]

I’ve just had an alert saying match off. Surely not?

From where?

Official twitter said they had a pitch inspection and all was good.

 

[The Big Dady]

Unchanged team

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

From where?

Official twitter said they had a pitch inspection and all was good.

BBC Sport.

Swiftly followed by the line-ups!

 

[Benfleetboy]

POSTPONED AGAIN

 

[Nestudas]

From where?

Official twitter said they had a pitch inspection and all was good.

Me too, BBC Sport notification

 

[gatecrasher]

Sky Sports showing game as postponed, one of the Maidenhead team sneezed in the tunnel

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

BBC showing it as postponed.

 

[MR G]

BBC just flagged up as postponed??

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

POSTPONED AGAIN

Is that just BBC Sport?

There’s nothing on twitter yet so I think it is on

BBC not interested in this division and I take their coverage with a pinch of salt.

 

[Holy Joe]

Sky Sports showing game as postponed, one of the Maidenhead team sneezed in the tunnel

Is that sky app? Apparently hasn't been updated since previous fixture

 

[Floval Flyer]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1468286941758210056

 

[Floval Flyer]

Game’s on

 

[bigmolt]

I hope Gard and Clifford both get 10/15 mins game time. It will be like having two new players in once they are both 100%!!

 

[Floval Flyer]

Don’t forget to clap for little Arthur tonight…

https://twitter.com/x/status/1468188549698797570

 

[Ricey]

An unchanged team after a win! I like it. I also like the look of the options on the bench.

I’m hopeful of a good result although I guarantee the boo boys will give Acquah a hard time and he’ll end up scoring.