Source: FOOTYMAD
Rotherham United 1, Southend United 2
Rotherham United 1, Southend United 2: Can we play away from Roots Hall every week?And we had the majority of the possession as well, maybe Millers boss Ronnie 'we're a better side than Southend' Moore should keep quiet before a game, it can come back to haunt you, and it did here. That's a double over the South Youkshire side that started the day in second place. Blues boss Paul Sturrock made three changes from last week, and EEB predicted the lot in his preview, though he got Matt Phillips returning wrong as veteran Graham Coughlan stayed in.The ones he got right: Peter Gilbert for Johnny Herd at left-back, you could put your mortgage on that one, Louie Soares down the right for Miguel Comminges, predicted by Luggy himself, and, no surprise again, Blair Sturrock for the unlucky Matt Paterson.Still, who are we to argue when within 13 minutes the away side were two-up.Have the Millers not watched the DVD's of our games at Chelteham and Oxford, back-to-back 2-0 wins all wrapped up in the first 45, maybe Ronnie's just been looking at the recent home games!A lot of the crowd had failed to take their seats when Southend opened the scoring in the very first minute.Sean Clohessy with the assist, Ryan Hall with the finish, smashing home from inside the area. That seemed to annoy the league's second-placed team a touch who went on the offensive, keeper Glenn Morris doing well to keep out a Ryan Taylor shot. Top scorer Barry Corr had a go, but on the whole it was Rotherham who saw most of the ball, until the Shrimers struck for a second time!Hall turned provider this time, after his corner found Blair Sturrock, we said he should be in the side, lurking with intent in the middle of the area, and his right foot did the rest.Plenty of good defensive work followed from the Blues helped by Morris looking safe in goal. Taylor getting frustrated enough to receive a yellow card for fouling, guess who, Anthony Grant.Breaking away into the Millers half did bring the odd corner, but overall Southend would have been pleased to hear the whistle for half-time, and hope they can keep events in control as they did the previous two away games, where the second 45 remained goalless and the points returned to Roots Hall.There was a goal this time and it went to the Millers on the hour.Similar to Southend's second, Nicky Law's corner dropped well for Nick Fenton unmarked inside the box and he fired home from close range. Still a good half-hour on the clock. A defensive substitution five minutes later as young Kane Ferdinand, blimey, Luggy must rate him, comes on for Soares, not much kop as usual.The non-stop pressure expected from the promotion chasers didn't really materialise and the Shrimpers were seeing as much of the ball as their hosts and holding on to it well. Ryan Hall, S24's man-of-the-match in a losing cause last Saturday, was doing his best to pick up the award again but to finish on a positive note this time around.Hewas everywhere, corners, fre-kicks, crosses, many of the travelling faithful will hope we are seeing real consistancy from the youngster at last and Luggy has found a real gem.
