fbm
Blue tinted optimist⭐🦐
Bloody rubbish, these non-league players. They're maybe players... maybe good, maybe not. No guarantee they'll do anything at all...
Well, that's the quickest goal I've ever seen. Difficult to describe really... it all happened so quick. I was just aware that we went straight forward instead of laying the ball back from the kick off and it seemed to catch Swansea on the hop. Great cross from Gray and a header from Freddy. 1-0 - I think the official time is 9 seconds.
Was it a goal too early? Well, Swansea were the strongest side I've seen at the Hall this season and broke straight down the other end. A low cross came in from the right and skidded off the turf. Clarke flapped at it, the ball was played goalwards and Spinner cleared off the line. All this was inside the first minute!
Southend continued to press and Gower made room for himself before shooting and forcing a fine diving save from the Swansea keeper. Swansea took control and equalised after 10 minutes - Connor beating the offside trap and slotting over an advancing Clarke - and it was in truth what they deserved.
The next 20 minutes were dominated by the Welsh visitors really, without them ever testing the defence, which was again well marshalled by Barrett and Prior. You could see why Trundle is so highly thought of, and he nearly chipped Clarke with an audacious lob form 30 yards out.
I personally thought we would do well to hold it at 1-1 until half time. Then on 41 minutes, from one of our several corners, Prior headed unmarked into the corner to make it 2-1.
Gray had a chance to make it 3 in injury time but the keeper saved well. The only real downer in the first half was the loss of Gower, which looked as though it may be a nasty injury.
In the second half I was expecting a Swansea onslaught that never came. On 53 minutes their centre back Monk, who had looked pretty dodgy, played a hospital pass to the full back Austin which was intercepted by Gray. He took the ball to the touchline and put in one of the most perfect crosses I have ever seen... whipped in with pace and topspin, taking it away from the keeper, over the defender but coming down straight on Eastwood's head about 6 yards out. He couldn't miss and I was pleased to se as many congratulations for Gray as Eastwood for that one.
It was Southend's game really and they controlled it without threatening further, but we had our usual wobble and with 5 left Forbes capped a good move with a header past Clarke to pull one back.
It was a frantic period now but we kept them out, and then with 2 mins to go Freddy picked up a loose ball and belted it goalwards. It took a wicked deflection into the bottom corner but he'll claim that for his hat trick. 4-2.
Straight from the kick off there was the usual trouble with the Swansea supporters and while one was being wrestled to the ground, Trundle (I think) had a shot straight from the centre that floated over Clarke and came back off the bar before being scrambled to safety.
Eastwood was subbed 30 secs from the end to his own private ovation.
Another cracking game at the Hall and we're moving up the league... only 3 points from the top now.
Ratings
Clarke - 6 - Difficult conditions to make your debut as a keeper... left footed, kicking usually good, handling ok, got away with a couple of errors.
Jupp - 7 - Got caught a couple of times but then rescued us as well. made some good overlaps and crosses.
Barrett - 8 - Very solid against Trundle and partners Prior well.
Prior - 8.5 - Commanding, composed and dominant. Scored as well. Would have been a contender for MOM on any other day.
Wilson - 6. Mmm... ok. This to be fair was more like the Wilson of last year and he needs to improve his perfomances.
Gower - 7 (subbed). Did ok until injured - had a good shot. Hope it's not too serious.
Maher - 8 - Very good performance from Kev, best of the season for me. Needs to do that EVERY week.
Hunt - 7 - Ok... again, I think he did enough but will probably be dropped for Bentley when he returns.
Pettefer - 7. Again, OK. I would prefer to see a palyer that gived us more natural width but he worked hard
Gray - 8.5 - A superb battling performance, unlucky not to score and set 2 up for Freddy with fantastic crosses. I'm now beginning to see why we bought him.
Eastwood - 5 - did nothing except score 3 goals. Can't see why he's here - bring back Drewe!
Ok... joking. I'll give him 9 and the MOM. It must be a history making debut... quickest goal on club debut and league debut, surely. First attacker since Angell (?) to score a hat trick... I know Mooney, Hails and Cort have done, but weren't they all midfielders or defenders? Infact, has anyone ever scored a hat trick on their league debut? (Maybe Tony Cottee?) Quick feet, found a blue shirt 90% of the time. I can't say he terrorised the defence with his pace but he is certainly sharp. He didn't have a load of one-on-one's, he didn't have loads of chances, but obviously knows where the goal is. 3 chances, 3 goals. More in one game than Drewe scored in a season and a bit. It will be interesting to see how he copes when defences wise up to him a bit. But for now, absolutely fantastic.
Well, that's the quickest goal I've ever seen. Difficult to describe really... it all happened so quick. I was just aware that we went straight forward instead of laying the ball back from the kick off and it seemed to catch Swansea on the hop. Great cross from Gray and a header from Freddy. 1-0 - I think the official time is 9 seconds.
Was it a goal too early? Well, Swansea were the strongest side I've seen at the Hall this season and broke straight down the other end. A low cross came in from the right and skidded off the turf. Clarke flapped at it, the ball was played goalwards and Spinner cleared off the line. All this was inside the first minute!
Southend continued to press and Gower made room for himself before shooting and forcing a fine diving save from the Swansea keeper. Swansea took control and equalised after 10 minutes - Connor beating the offside trap and slotting over an advancing Clarke - and it was in truth what they deserved.
The next 20 minutes were dominated by the Welsh visitors really, without them ever testing the defence, which was again well marshalled by Barrett and Prior. You could see why Trundle is so highly thought of, and he nearly chipped Clarke with an audacious lob form 30 yards out.
I personally thought we would do well to hold it at 1-1 until half time. Then on 41 minutes, from one of our several corners, Prior headed unmarked into the corner to make it 2-1.
Gray had a chance to make it 3 in injury time but the keeper saved well. The only real downer in the first half was the loss of Gower, which looked as though it may be a nasty injury.
In the second half I was expecting a Swansea onslaught that never came. On 53 minutes their centre back Monk, who had looked pretty dodgy, played a hospital pass to the full back Austin which was intercepted by Gray. He took the ball to the touchline and put in one of the most perfect crosses I have ever seen... whipped in with pace and topspin, taking it away from the keeper, over the defender but coming down straight on Eastwood's head about 6 yards out. He couldn't miss and I was pleased to se as many congratulations for Gray as Eastwood for that one.
It was Southend's game really and they controlled it without threatening further, but we had our usual wobble and with 5 left Forbes capped a good move with a header past Clarke to pull one back.
It was a frantic period now but we kept them out, and then with 2 mins to go Freddy picked up a loose ball and belted it goalwards. It took a wicked deflection into the bottom corner but he'll claim that for his hat trick. 4-2.
Straight from the kick off there was the usual trouble with the Swansea supporters and while one was being wrestled to the ground, Trundle (I think) had a shot straight from the centre that floated over Clarke and came back off the bar before being scrambled to safety.
Eastwood was subbed 30 secs from the end to his own private ovation.
Another cracking game at the Hall and we're moving up the league... only 3 points from the top now.
Ratings
Clarke - 6 - Difficult conditions to make your debut as a keeper... left footed, kicking usually good, handling ok, got away with a couple of errors.
Jupp - 7 - Got caught a couple of times but then rescued us as well. made some good overlaps and crosses.
Barrett - 8 - Very solid against Trundle and partners Prior well.
Prior - 8.5 - Commanding, composed and dominant. Scored as well. Would have been a contender for MOM on any other day.
Wilson - 6. Mmm... ok. This to be fair was more like the Wilson of last year and he needs to improve his perfomances.
Gower - 7 (subbed). Did ok until injured - had a good shot. Hope it's not too serious.
Maher - 8 - Very good performance from Kev, best of the season for me. Needs to do that EVERY week.
Hunt - 7 - Ok... again, I think he did enough but will probably be dropped for Bentley when he returns.
Pettefer - 7. Again, OK. I would prefer to see a palyer that gived us more natural width but he worked hard
Gray - 8.5 - A superb battling performance, unlucky not to score and set 2 up for Freddy with fantastic crosses. I'm now beginning to see why we bought him.
Eastwood - 5 - did nothing except score 3 goals. Can't see why he's here - bring back Drewe!
Ok... joking. I'll give him 9 and the MOM. It must be a history making debut... quickest goal on club debut and league debut, surely. First attacker since Angell (?) to score a hat trick... I know Mooney, Hails and Cort have done, but weren't they all midfielders or defenders? Infact, has anyone ever scored a hat trick on their league debut? (Maybe Tony Cottee?) Quick feet, found a blue shirt 90% of the time. I can't say he terrorised the defence with his pace but he is certainly sharp. He didn't have a load of one-on-one's, he didn't have loads of chances, but obviously knows where the goal is. 3 chances, 3 goals. More in one game than Drewe scored in a season and a bit. It will be interesting to see how he copes when defences wise up to him a bit. But for now, absolutely fantastic.
