A Shawn McCoulsky double and a single strike from Isaac Hutchinson saw Southend United come from behind to defeat Cambridge United at Roots Hall to get their Group B EFL Trophy campaign off to a winning start.
The Blues are in a Group with Cambridge United, Colchester United and Southampton's U23's so knew a winning start would give them a better chance of progressing from the Group.
The Blues are a league above Cambridge in the SkyBet Football League however were missing twelve players due to injury and suspension, so Chris Powell had to field a pretty young squad and made eight changes from their team that lost to Charlton Athletic at the weekend.
This gave United head coach Joe Dunne and his squad more heart and belief that they could pull off a victory here, and for the opening quarter of the contest matched their hosts stride for stride, although chances were at a premium for both.
But the final twenty minutes of the half saw the Blues come to life and create several chances but fail to take any as the half ended goalless.
Half Time Southend United 0 Cambridge United 0
The visitors, who were probably lucky to be on level terms going into the break, came out the better team and after going close on a couple of occasions took the lead seven minutes into the half when Reggie Lambe sent a downward header into the corner of the net, and the visitors were in front.
How would the hosts respond to going behind? Well just three minutes later they restored parity as Harry Bunn drove down the left and into the box before squaring a ball across goal for McCoulsky who managed to slide an effort in off the post and bring the hosts level.
And in the 63rd minute the Blues had turned it around when Bunn laid in Stephen Hendrie down the left wing, and the latter sent in a perfect cross to McCoulsky who rose highest to power a header into the net for a super goal, and net his second of the contest too.
The Blues were controlling the contest again and almost made it three in spectacular style when Michael Klass sent a long range dipping effort off the top of the crossbar, but with eight minutes remaining did make it three when substitute Hutchinson, who had only just come on, rammed home an effort from the edge of the box to seal the points and the win for the home side.
Full Time Southend United 3 Cambridge United 1
No comments:
Post a Comment