2 weeks Ago
A spirited performance, a fantastic atmosphere, Shrimpers supporters back in the North Bank and a vital victory to get right back in the play-off race all contributed to a memorable afternoon. And all that came amid a real sense of togetherness too. No club has endured more off field pain and concern than Blues in recent seasons.
But during the darkest of times it was scenes like Saturday all Shrimpers fans would have dreamed of being part of. It was a real reminder of what Southend United could and should consistently be. And, having come so close to not existing at all, it made what materialised on Saturday even more enjoyable.
In the grand scheme of things, it was just a win to keep the Shrimpers’ hopes of a top seven finish alive. But Blues are now definitely well placed to finish in the play-offs. An early header from Keenan Appiah-Forson ultimately saw Southend United come out on top.
And the Shrimpers now sit just one point and one place below seventh placed Gateshead who have now suffered six defeats in succession and host Southend on the final day of the season. Blues’ destiny is therefore in their own hands and that is what made Saturday’s success incredibly important. Fourth placed Oldham came into the game having suffered fewer defeats on the road than any other team in the National League while the Shrimpers were desperate to bounce back from Tuesday’s disappointing 3-0 defeat at Boston United.
It was very much Southend on the front foot early on, with Appiah-Forson and Leon Parillon catching the eye. After going three months without a league start, Appiah-Forson has now started six games in succession for the first time since signing for Blues back in August. The midfielder possesses infectious energy and enthusiasm which makes his style of play almost impossible not to warm to.
But Appiah-Forson is now also showing more positional understanding and intelligence to make him even more influential. And he fully deserved his role as the matchwinner at the weekend. To his left hand side, Parillon also caught the eye to continue his eye-catching start with the Shrimpers.
The attacking midfielder possesses the skills and ability to glide past players in a way which has not been seen at Roots Hall in several seasons. Yes, there are things to work on but that makes his obvious talent even more exciting as the scope is there for him to get even better as he continues to adjust to full-time football. Parillon has made a big difference to Blues but the overriding factor against Oldham was good old fashioned hard work and togetherness.
The Shrimpers dug deep all over the pitch and there can be no denying the fans played a huge part too. Blues were forced to survive some nerve-wracking moments along the way against the Latics but that just resulted in the noise levels being ramped up even more at Roots Hall. The noise levels at the end were also spine-tingling loud for anyone connected with the Shrimpers and hats off to all those involved in getting home supporters back in the North Bank.
The fans’ support was ultimately rewarded with three points but Blues rode their luck in the second half when Mike Fondop’s header appeared to hit the arm of defender Ben Goodliffe, only for referee Kirsty Dowle to wave play on. It was a fortunate break for the Shrimpers but anything other than a win would have been harsh on Kevin Maher’s side given the effort levels and organisation on display. With six games remaining, Blues are right in the mix but there are areas of concerns – most notably the fitness of James Golding.
The on loan Oxford United defender has become incredibly influential for the Shrimpers but has now headed back to his parent club for treatment on a groin injury. With a fit and firing Golding, Blues’ chances of success are far higher and you sense his availability will be key in deciding Southend’s destiny this season. That being said, Southend kept a clean sheet without him at the weekend with goalkeeper Nick Hayes securing his first shut out since coming back to the club in February.
The clean sheet will be a big confidence boost for Blues who now most definitely have the spirit to dig deep. It was heart-warmingly fun to see the injured Golding, Adam Crowther and Collin Andeng Ndi jumping for joy and joining in with the chanting from the directors box throughout Saturday’s win. That further epitomised the sense of togetherness within the Shrimpers.
It also emphasised that however this season pans out that pride has very much been restored in following Southend United – something, which just like Saturday, we all feared we would not sample again..
