‘Sky TV is f***ing s***, Sky TV is f***ing s***.’
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| Welcome to...Fenchurch St. Station, actually (no trains from Liv. St.) |
A 12:30 kick-off for Southend United versus Barnsley? Does the nation REALLY insist on seeing midtable league one be outclassed by highflying superstars (for that will surely happen)? Very probably they do, but it does zero for the loyal travelling support, as a mere 475 come to witness the best team in the division, the lowest (league) away following of the season, ‘beating’ the midweek 657 who went to Oxford (and that’s hardly closely to Barnsley). A week after we took 2,000 to Pompey. I s’pose those who stayed up in Barnsley and watched on TV would have still felt good value, but twas a shame they missed one of the best performances of the season in the flesh…
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| 4 likely looking Londontykes head towards Roots Hall |
There was fight, there was no stone unturned, there was no backing down…and that was just half-time, as the stewards and some of our more ‘passionate’ and younger fans had a punch up with the stewards. Rumour has it that it started cos stewards wanted someone to stop standing on a chair, which seems fair enough, and a bit of windmilling ensued. Both sides ended up trading punches (and believe me, their stewards were big lads) but the weight of numbers brought a tactical retreat for the stewards, thankfully before things really got out of hand. But where does that leave us? Our support will be the first to whinge about coppers rather than stewards handling our contingent, but that’s where we’ll be heading.
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| No. |
Course, I had a decent view cos I was standing on a chair (!). I can’t help but think it wouldn’t have happened had we a) been winning and b) had our full complement of 11 men, but things looked frosty by half time as, despite being the better side, it was 0-0 and Brown had been sent off for a dangerous lunge. (I missed this, having nipped out for a pee; this after missing 2 of our goals in the cup game this season for same.) Still, plenty of ‘yoofs’ had their phones out to record the fighting, so I expect one of them to be ‘intelligent’ enough to put it on youtube so the police can nick all of their mates. No need to arrest the main man tho; when we went one-up, he was on the pitch having another to-do with stewards. Only this time he didn’t have his mates to drag him to safety. I expect he got some kicking off them stewards, cos they didn’t look the types to let bygones be bygones.
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| The 'other' half time entertainment; hit a penalty through the hole. (What did you think???) |
Oh yes, down to 10 men, we absolutely RAN the show, second half. Like at Accrington. Everyone stepped up to the mark, everyone had a good game and only one team ever looked like scoring (even if Davies did make a couple of saves and Pinnock and Lindsay cleared well). Still, the luck was with us, as the ball hit McGeehan on the back before he reacted first to bury the ball into the bottom corner, right in front of us. You Reds!!!!!!!!!!
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| The Super Reds celebrate another goal. |
An injury-plagued Southend then had to come out and play and we simply picked them off. A fast break down the left has Bahre rounding a defender and laying it off for Cauley to drill it across the keeper and into the far corner. From one end to the other with 2 or 3 one-touch passes; if this was the Premiership, Wrighty and Shearer would be creaming themselves. Bahre also runs out of legs when clean through and goes for the pass rather than have a shot, before the manager takes off our defensive midfielder for a winger. With 10 men! Absolutely mental, but I like his style – and Jordan Green bags his first goal for the Super Reds after McGeehan’s toe-poke is saved. ‘EASY! EASY!’ sang a crowing away end. These are the performances of champions. Imperious.
*** Pinnock. Won headers, played it out and fabulous double-clearance at nil-nil.
** Cavare. Up and down that right wing and more than made up for losing Jacob.
* McGeehan. Another cracking performance, putting us ahead and being key to counter-attacks.
Londontykes' MOTM: 1= McGeehan/Pinnock 3. Cavare
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| 'I've got a shed...' etc |
Despatches:Shame Brown got himself sent off. Nothing like celebrating your EFL Young Player of the Month in style. Davies made a couple of smart saves and had safe handling and kicking all match. Penniless was solid, and in Lindsay and Pinnock surely we have the best central defensive partnership in the division. Mowatt was tidy, while I never noticed Dougall (but he must have been doing something right). Thiam threatened early (but the fans got out of the way) while Cauley is every inch a Championship striker playing in division 3. Was it his 14th of the season? If he stays fit, he’ll bag 20.
And talking of Nice Guy Chris, guess who told an anxious looking steward pre-match that he’d have ‘nothing to worry about today’!? (The steward reminded him later of what he said.)
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| The Super Reds (pacifist branch). |
Drink du jour: all sorts, inc 4 beers even before (12:30) KO.\
Away: 475 some. Thanks, Sky.
The Damage:
£9 train
£22 ent
£3 prog
= £34
The Tunes:
An Awesome Wave (Alt-J)
Low (David Bowie)
Lunatico (Gotan Project)
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| Roots Hall panorama |
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| Club car park and Main Stand. |
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| Visitors turnstiles. |
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| Action in front of the East Stand. |
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| Sarfend Ultras. 'You can stick your f***ing drum....' etc |
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| A most outstanding camera gantry. |
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| The 'other' side of the away end. |
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| Buxom cheerleaders. |
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| BFC flags. |
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| Down to 10 men and on comes a winger for a defensive midfielder. |
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| Stop being so soft... |
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| Homeward bound, past the Tower of London. A rare treat. |
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