Second half
substitute Stephen Humphrys netted a dramatic winner in the 87th
minute to give Southend United the win they needed over Sunderland at Roots
Hall to see them seal survival in SkyBet League One on the final day.
This was an odd situation for me, I have been a Southend
resident for over a decade now but my late fathers beloved team were of course
Sunderland, so for them to be the side The Blues had to beat to seal their
place in League One for next season was met with mixed emotions it has to be
said.
The hosts sat above the bottom four on goal difference
knowing their fate was in their own hands and a win would see them stay up, but
anything less than that could see Plymouth Argyle or Scunthorpe United, who
were playing each other, sneak past them and send the Blues into League Two.
The Black Cats came into this one knowing automatic
promotion was now impossible after they lost at Fleetwood Town in midweek, but
they knew a win would see them enter the play-offs in good spirits although you
also felt that if they did lose it would not be the end of the world for them
anyway.
A terrific atmosphere welcomed both teams as a crowd of over
10,000 packed into Roots Hall, with 2,000 of those having travelled up from the
North-East, so congratulations to them for continuing to support their side
through thick n thin, they really are an awesome bunch of supporters, and they certainly
added to the awesome noise inside the ground.
The Blues dreamed of an early goal and saw Dru Yearwood
spurn two early opportunities for the hosts, firstly seeing his shot saved by
the legs of Sunderland keeper Jon McLaughlin, and then secondly slicing wide
from a great position twelve yards out, much to the dismay of the home
supporters.
Sunderland did then carve out two chances of their own, firstly
when Chris Maguire hit the side netting after a lovely ball from Lynden Gooch,
and then secondly when Maguire again shot straight at Southend keeper Mark
Oxley, as the home fans breathed a sigh of relief.
The Black Cats also felt they should have had a penalty
after Charlie Wyke looked to be pulled back in the area, but play was waved on,
again much to the home fans relief, who were willing a Southend goal to give
them hope of survival and also hoping that a visitors goal was not forthcoming
as this would of made it a much harder task.
Two minutes before the break though Southend found that
opener to get their noses in front, as a lose ball inside the box saw John White
acrobatically send the ball into the bottom corner of the net, cuing absolute
bedlam in the home end, which sadly saw a smoke bomb let off in the section next
to me.
The culprit was caught, but he decided to lob it into the
section I was in as he was being led out, which could have been worse than it
was, thankfully though apart from us all choking in that area, no one was
injured, but this is something we really don’t need at football games.
Anyway, it did mean the hosts had a precious lead going into
half time, and the question was could they hold onto that lead in the remainder
of the contest, as it was so far so good for the home side.
Half Time Southend
United 1 Sunderland 0
You felt that the outcome of this contest would be
determined by how much the hosts could keep their nerve under the pressure of
the occasion, and also how much Sunderland actually wanted this seeing as the
play-offs were just around the corner, and they had also rested Aiden McGeady, arguably
one of the best players in League One, for this contest, although the Republic
Of Ireland attacker has been playing with a foot injury for sometime now, so
they weren’t going to risk him in this game.
The tension though around the stadium was building and
building the longer the half went on, and the visitors began to get more and
more possession as Southend looked to try and hold onto what they had as the
game entered the final twenty minutes.
And then, with fifteen minutes remaining, Sunderland were
awarded a penalty after White had brought down Wyke in the area, and it gave Maguire
the chance to bring the Black Cats level, and he duly did slot home the spot-kick,
to see the Sunderland fans behind that goal jump around in celebration, and
sadly let off a smoke bomb of their own, lovely.
The hosts looked broken for a bit, and I really did feel
they were done for, as did most of the home fans around me it has to be said,
and it looked like Sunderland may take control of this one and go on and win it
possibly. When they did net the penalty
they went and got the ball quickly and ran it back to the halfway line, so
maybe they did fancy a win before the play-offs?
The Blues to their credit though began to get the ball more
frequently and try and mount an attack to try and give them a chance of netting
that all important winner. Plymouth were
beating Scunthorpe 3-2 so Southend knew a point would not be good enough if
that result stayed that way. Of course,
a Scunthorpe goal would mean Southend could stay up with a draw, but you could
not bank on that happening.
The home fans were praying for a goal now, and in the 87th
minute their prayers were answered as second half substitute Humphrys, mask and
all and had only been on the pitch for nine minutes, slotted a loose ball
through the legs of McLaughlin to send the home fans absolutely wild, as well
as the home players who all bundled on top of the scorer by the corner flag,
and the Blues were now minutes away from survival.
The atmosphere was unbelievable, the best atmosphere I’ve
experienced at Roots Hall for some time it has to be said, despite being choked
by yet another smoke bomb, but hey ho at least this one was thrown at
us!!! Southend just had to survive six
or so minutes of stoppage time now and League One survival was theirs.
And after a few tense minutes the referee finally blew the
whistle and cue a mass pitch invasion as the post-match celebrations began. Fair play to the Sunderland fans who clapped
the home supporters on the pitch, and they responded by pointing upwards and
wishing the Black Cats promotion through the play-offs, a nice touch I thought
from both.
I even had a wonder onto the hallowed Roots Hall turf myself
and stood back and watched the celebrations amongst the home fans, it had ended
in triumph for them as they remain in League One for next season. For Sunderland, yes, they lost and ended up finishing
fifth and will now take on Portsmouth in a huge two-legged semi-final, but I
was happy for them to lose this one to see my local club survive. Sorry Dad, I’m sure you’d understand watching
from above, please forgive me!!!
Full Time Southend
United 2 Sunderland 1
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