BFC 1-0 Southend United, Saturday 3rd November 2018

‘There’s now a vegan fish and chip shop in Hackney’

What's that coming over the hill? (Is it a monster?  Is it a monster?)

Well, it was nice to get in on time this week.  The box office had my ST at the ready…plus I arrived early doors, in case.  In time to see 87 minutes of not-very-much, before Moore decided it with a towering close range header from Mowatt’s exquisite delivery from a corner.  We’d been far from our best but we scraped home.  Sign of a quality team?  Winning when playing poorly? Or a sign we’re in division 3?  ‘We woulda lost that last season’ said one punter outside afterwards.  Yes, we would.  It’s called playing worse teams, up against worse players.  

Moore heads home the winner from a corner.

Still, in a game I am loathe to say we deserved, it was just reward for the team ATTEMPTING to win, against a side who spent the entire second half timewasting like hell.  It was hilarious seeing their keeper run for a ball once they were one down.  It was like a cartoon character, with his legs going 19 to the dozen.  Previously, he’d not gone beyond a walk.  And I don’t know how long it took their player to walk the entire width of the pitch.  (Of course, he was the player furthest from the dugouts; this is what timewasting teams DO.)  From a Sarfend perspective, the defeat must have been hard to take, given a battling performance despite several injured players being ruled out.  Sorry lads.

How long can we take over this one, lads?

In a game of few chances, I can remember two.  Half time was nearly upon us when Bahre won the ball high up the pitch and played in Moore, whose snapshot was tipped over.  Then, early 2^nd, Potts is played in and bangs it against the bar when a more composed finish was called for.  Aside from that, I enjoyed coming across the 1^st ref to understand Cavare’s throw-ins are foul, and finally called it.  A professional footballer who can’t take a throw-in properly.  Criminal.

Come on you Shrimpers!  (Do I have the right nickname???)

Oh, and then there was Sarfend having a goal disallowed for offside in the 2^nd half.  Marginal at best.  You can bet Jonesy won’t mention that when he slags off the ref.  Tho things appeared to even up when we had a break down the left and (was it Hedges?  Surely not) we crossed the ball low for a tap-in. Again, offside. 

*** Moore.  Not necessarily at his best, nor used efficiently, but won everything, held the ball up…and scored the only goal with a crushing header.

** Mowatt.  Tidy throughout, lovely give-and-goes…and whipped in a deadly ball for the winner.

* Lindsay.  I thought he was outstanding, 1^st half, while Pinnock struggled.  Everyone else disagreed.

Twitter MOTM: Moore. 

Londontykes’ MOTM:  1. Pinnock  2. Mowatt  3. Moore

A rare goalmouth foray.

Despatches:

It was that average that Thiam was our most attacking player, 1^st half.  Till he got subbed in the 2^nd for disappearing from the pitch.  Moncur came on, and looked all that, before he didn’t.  The rest?  Meh.

Onwards and upwards!

Anyway, a rather excellent journey back, sharing the carriage with some Southend fans (none of who wore colours, cos they’d ‘been warned’).

Drink du jour: Is it Schnedierweise on tap in the Old #7?  Anyway, some of that, followed by Bernard unfiltered at the Sheffield Tap, and an average bottle of M&S red for the train.

Bottle opener, Southend-style.  Least, I think it's a bottle opener...

Away: 319.  

The Damage:
£28 train
£3 programme
= £31

The Tunes:
Big Calm (Morcheeba)
Biggest Bluest Hifi (Camera Obscura)
Jam J (James v Sabres of Paradise)
Love Letters (Metronomy)

East upper panorama.

Ponty End pano (cheers Jonesy!)

Looking towards the old Main Stand.

The Ponty v Southend.

Darkness descends.

Halfway line (in)action.