Source: FOOTYMAD
Canaries condemn Blues to cruel defeat
Norwich City 2 Southend United 1: When your down and all that. Two goals in the last twelve minutes, the second deep into stoppage time, and a late substitution, undone all the Shrimpers hard work that deserved some reward. Some defeats are harder to take than others. This one was particularly difficult to stomach. 'Gutted' was one of the more printable responses from a fellow Shrimper as we left Carrow Road, drowning in a sea of smiling faces. Let's face it there's nothing like a last minute goal, ask a Gillingham or Franchise fan after Barney's late winners at Roots Hall this season, but they knew they'd got away with this one, four minutes of injury time, where had referee Russell, who had a good game overall, find that amount. The atmosphere amongst the travelling faithful was like a cup tie, it reminded me of Chelsea away, a big crowd, the small club fighting against the odds, most of us accepting defeat and determined to have a good time, we weren't five down at half-time, in fact we were one up, curtesy of loanee Scott Vernon's second goal for the club, well done Blues boss Steve Tilson for sticking with him. However, it was more luck than judgement, if you can call a 27th minute injury, another one, to centre back Jean-Yves M'Voto luck, that allowed Southend to become as competitive as they were. As Tilly seemed determined to keep his preferred formation, i.e. one central striker all on his own at all costs. I love you Tilly but you can be bloody minded at times. Arsenal loanee Sanchez Watt was out as reported, the chance to play the rapidly improving Matt Paterson to give Vernon some company presented it to Tills on a plate. He turned it down. In came Scott Malone wide left, Franck Moussa wide right and Damien Scannell given the more central role with a license to roam. Out of sorts Francis Laurent banished to the bench. A more defensive line-up than I would have liked but understandable in the circumstances, yet an opportunity missed as events would prove. For all talk of harsh justice if Norwich had taken one of their early chances this could well have been a different report but eerily similar to the majority of Southend's away games this season. One down early, lose. The home side didn't. In the very first minute as I was still letting people past me to get to their seat Stephen Hughes missed a sitter as the Blues defence stood static. A deflected cross from Michael Rose was tipped over the bar by a back-peddling Steve Mildenhall. Then the worst of the lot, Chris Martin did all the hard work creating acres of space in the penalty area, and shot wide. Still time for another Mildy save, keeping out a long range effort from Simon Lappin. Smiles all round, we might get away with this. Apart from a long range Vernon effort and some trademark Scannell runs we weren't really creating anything, it looked a line-up to hold what we already got, and then the injury. At first I thought Tilly would bring on Johnny Herd and keep the status quo, but on came the former Southampton striker, a makeweight in the Barney deal, yet a player, that in the long run might prove we got the better of the deal whatever happens this season, he's still only 20. Suddenly we looked a different side, well we were, but we played like it. Adam Barrett went back to centre half and from the first challange looked a more assured and happier player. Malone went to left back. Scannell wide right. Vernon had a new friend. Then, as the half time Delia pie beckoned and Norwich were running out of ideas, Scannell delivered another 'trademark run', a low cross from the right, the ball rebounding off former Tottenham defender Gary Doherty, and there was Scott Vernon, keeping the ball down well but giving it enough to blast into the roof of the net. Those misses at stadium:mk Saturday forgotten, even forgiven. Madness ensues, hugs all round, blimey it was only a league game, however the frustration of the last few weeks was let out in that one moment, he was our side in all it's troubles, going one up in injury time at the end of the first period against the team top of the league. It was great to be a Shrimper. But look at the highlights, and we did many times in the TV situated in the cafe under the stand, serving a fine selection of drinks as well as Delia's creations, there's Paterson causing a nuisance of himself that may have got Doherty in two minds. "I expected us to get thrashed", said a fellow west stander over coffee and bovril's. It was very cold. "Remember Brighton" I reminded him, where one goal down to the struggling seagulls City came back with two strikes in the final ten minutes; wish I hadn't. As the second 45 wore on though it was mostly good old fashioned defending, Blues keeping their shape well, as the Canaries flocked forward. Grant Holt, kept quiet for most of the game, but always dangerous, hit the post with Mildy beaten. Then the Blues No.1 continued to earn his pay, the most improved player this season, getting plenty of practice I suppose, geting down low to a Chris Martin strike to fingertip away for a corner. It could be argued the midfield was too deep at times, and bless him, Christophe's passing can be bloody awful at times, yet we looked OK, riding our luck at times, and as the game wore on gaps opened up at the back that could easily given Southend the second. Chief Canary Paul Lambert had to do something, and bringing on Oli Johnson to threaten proved decisive. The Norwich boss was also franticly waving his men wide left, as ever, Simon Francis was doing his stuff going forward but we, as well as Lambert, could notice the concentration levels were a concern when doing his day job. Another brilliant save from Big Steve on 77 minutes palmed Holt's header directly, and unluckily, into the path of Johnson who stroked home the equaliser. Then two incidents that could have still given the fighting Shrimpers, Macca was all over the place making sure Mildy and the back four remained protected, a shock win. Peterson, who was growing in confidence, went past a Norwich defender as if he wasn't there, a great piece of skill, sadly the finish wasn't up to that standard and City keeper Fraser Forster saved easily. Then Johnny Herd, on for a tirering Moose who had done his bit, also broke clear and was cynically brought down on the edge of the area. The clock struck 90 minutes, take your time lads, and make sure Forster pushes the resulting free-kick over for a corner, or put it in row Z! Simon does neither but does force a great save from the Norwich shot stopper, whose quick reactions keeps the ball in play and can start a last gasp home attack. No worries boys, only a couple of minutes of stoppage time, except there were four, where from, were the trainers even on? There was only two at the end of the first half with M'Voto was out prone for longer than that! Anyhow, two corners in quick succession followed and from the latter Johnson rose to place a strong header away from Mildy for the winner with many Norwich supporters having already left. Hopefully, the players will remain positive from this display, and Tilly will keep Paterson and Vernon together up front, with Spencer as a super sub when needed there a worse options in this league, and bring it into what is such an important game with Charlton. A packed Roots Hall on a Friday night with points desperately needed by both sides. It's what it's all about. Southend player markings: Mildenhall - 8, Francis - 6, M'Voto - 5 (Paterson 27 - 7), Barrett - 7, Baldwin - 7, Christophe - 6, McCormack - 7, Moussa - 6 (Herd 80 - 6), Malone - 6, Scannell - 7, Vernon - 7.
