Pre Season Friendly, Tuesday August 10th
The Blues final home pre season outing prior to their first season outside the football league for 101 years was my latest match, and it saw them host Norwich City's U23 side at Roots Hall on another lovely sunny evening down by the Essex coast.
The Blues had began the other two home pre season outings well and had been in front before both West Ham and Brentford's youngsters had got themselves back into the contests and gone onto win in the end, could the hosts get themselves in front in this one early on like those two but then make sure they held on to the lead and at least end their home pre season campaign with a victory?
I actually had an interest in both camps here, obviously wanting to see how Southend shaped up as the season got nearer, and also being a Norwich fan myself was interested to see what our U23 side looked like and how they would shape up against what was likely to be a top National League outfit.
Well they were to spend a majority of the opening forty five minutes on the back foot as Southend dominated, and created two chances in the opening fifteen minutes, firstly when a lose pass out the back was pounced on by Dalby who curled over, and then after Dunne had forced a smart save from Rose, Dalby found Murphy who struck the bar, and the rebound was fired over by Dunne.
Ferguson and then Bridge fired over from distance, and then Demetriou's cross was headed down by Dalby but Murphy could not convert from point blank range as the ball bounced off him and went just wide, but in the 26th minute The Blues won a spot kick after Murphy was brought down by Rose, and it was Murphy who picked himself up to slot home the penalty and give the hosts a more than deserved lead.
Southend continued to dominate their young opponents and so nearly had a second on the half hour when Murphy sent a lovely chip off the bar, before Demetriou then fired wide and then Bridge clipped a ball in for Dalby who could only head wide of the target, Southend were playing their opponents off the park with some superb football but just lacked that cutting edge, like in the Brentford game.
The Canaries youngsters had not even had a sniff of goal in the first period, but levelled in the 45th minute with a lovely sweeping move from nowhere which was finished off superbly by Abu Kamara with a curling left foot past a despairing dive from Arnold, and it looked as if Norwich would go in level which was scarcely believable.
But immediately after that leveller Southend went down the other end and saw Bridge cut inside and fire a lovely effort in off the post and hand The Blues the half time lead, a lead that should have been greater after a terrific first half display, minus that moment of brilliance from the visitors, the only attacking threat they had provided in the entire half.
Southend continued to be the better side after the break too and saw a chance for Murphy thwarted by a brave block from Earley, and then lovely skill by Murphy, who looks very useful I must say, gave him space to have another effort at goal, but he could only curl wide, and then a succession of corners for The Blues ended with a wonderful reaction save from keeper Rose to deny Coulson's powerful header.
Norwich then managed to scramble clear before the ball reached Agogo in another attack for the hosts, before quick feet from Bridge teed up Agogo but his effort flew off target, and then another hosts effort was well blocked by the visitors defence. Had the hosts found their shooting boots this could have got ugly for the visitors, but it is a win for the Blues and a very encouraging performance from what will be close to the side that opens the league season a week on Saturday at King's Lynn Town. Phil Brown must be happy with what he is seeing, especially tonight.
Full Time Southend United 2 Norwich City U23 1
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