Source: FOOTYMAD
Scoreless stalemate for Shrimpers & Shots
Southend United 0 Aldershot Town 0: On the dull-o-metre this was probably high as both teams probably said a final farewell to any play-off hopes but at least the half time cider was good value. We should have expected it! Not even the bench for returning centre-back Bilel Mohsni, but straight back into the first team, and another S24 M-O-M as well, his sheer enthusiasm grabbing him an extra point!This allowed Chris Barker to move over to left back, Ryan Hall to start in his usual wideboy role as former Shot Louie Soares dropped to the bench. Barry Corr was fit enough to replace Blair Sturrock up front, not Harry Crawford, and Kane Ferdinand took James Stevens place in midfield after making it back from Cyprus and seeing action with the Irish Under-19's.By the end of the 90 minutes he must have wondered why he'd made the effort, as did most of the supporters of either team who hadn't taken advantage of any half-time alcohol to at least ease the pain. Though Shots fans are used to it a touch more, this was their ninth draw in their last 14 games! On to the action, don't worry, it won't take up much of your time.It started promisingly enough, just two minutes on the clock and Aldershot's Danny Hylton cut in from the left and his low strike was deflected past the left post. This was followed by 18-goal Barry Corr having the first of a couple of clear cut chances that could have seen him reach 20! After yet another Ryan Hall free-kick giving him the opportunity from eight yards out Big Baz decided to find the back of the North bank and not the net. On 20 minutes former Shrimper Luke Guttridge, who remained busy throughout with a trademark touch of class that most around him, of both sides, lacked, shot straight at Blues keeper Glenn Morris from the edge of the area and not long after a low drive from Peter Vincenti was deflected past his own right hand post by Graham Coughlan. Aldershot were certainly seeing more of the ball, as the Shrimpers seemed content to let them have it, but didn't really trouble Morris, a Damian Spencer volley and a Spencer effort from close range aside, the latter a good stop from the former Orient No.1.Certainly for the second week running Sean Clohessy, what is it with us and good attacking right-backs who can't defend, getting a run around by a young speedy winger in the form of the Shots Hylton, who if he can learn to stay on his feet and not try and get free-kicks and yellow cards for his opponents at every other opportunity, will be a very dangerous player at this level. On 38 minutes unlucky young striker Harry Crawford having retrained his place has probably lost it for a while when he crashed into Guttridge and picked up a broken nose for his troubles! This added an uneanted four minutes to the game. There was still time for the double act of Hall & Corr to combine once again with the tall Shrimpers top scorer heading over, as the referee brought to an end a dull first 45 and thankfully the bars were open! So the second half started and it did seem to have a touch more action, though that might have been the cider, and Guttridge tried his luck with a long range volley while up the other end Corr was given a sniff after good work by Ferdinand, but sliced his effort over the crossbar. Back the ball went towards the 350 strong travelling Shots faithful with Vincenti volleying wide right 20 yards out, and back it went again towards the South Bank as the incident happened that made you know the game would finish goalless, and it involved the Shrimpers actually getting a shot on target after a wait of 67 minutes!A short Hall free-kick was laid into the path of Anthony Grant who from a good 25 yards out struck the ball hard towards Aldershot keeper Jamie Young's right hand corner, a certain goal, but Young had other ideas, and leaped across to tip Snoog Dog's excellent effort over the bar.This woke the Hampshire club up who came close themselves when Morris proved he was no slouch in the shop stopping stakes pushing a Spencer header from close in on to the post.However, there was still a couple more moments where the woodwork was destined to come to the rescue. 14 minutes were left on the clock when Corr, having done all the hard work to get into a fine position inside the box, half volleyed the ball past Young only to see it rebound back off crossbar when maybe he should have done better. Then it was Guttridge, who else, whose strike right at the end found the right upright.And that was that, seven wins out of seven then Luggy for the play-offs?!Some of us would be happy just to see another three points before May, away to Port Vale next Saturday would be a start.Southend player markings: Morris - 7, Clohessy - 5, Coughlan - 6, Mohsni - 8, Barker - 6, Ferdinand - 6, Grant - 6, Woodyard - 6, Hall - 6, Crawford - 6 (Sturrock 38 - 5), Corr - 6. Referee: Mr. R. Lewis - 6.Competition: Npower League Two Date: Saturday, 2nd April 2011 Kick off: 15:00 Venue: Roots Hall Southend Utd. 0 - 0Aldershot Tn. Starting line-ups1Glenn Morris 6Moshni Bilel 23Chris Barker 2Sean Clohessy 5Graham Coughlan 30Alex Woodyard 12Ryan Hall 7Anthony Grant 31Kane Ferdinand 20Harry Crawford (Sturrock 38)10Barry Corr Substitutes19Miguel Comminges 17Louie Soares 21Blair Sturrock (Crawford 38)25Teddy Nesbitt 24Rhys Evans 28Kyle Asante 14Adam Bouzid Starting line-ups1Jamie Young 21John Halls 11Anthony Straker 6Anthony Charles 23Peter Vincenti 2Ben Herd 5Darren Jones 17Jermaine McGlashan (Small 88)4Luke Guttridge 9Damien Spencer (Sills 87)12Danny Hylton (Rodman 79)Substitutes33Alex Rodman (Hylton 79)20Wade Small (McGlashan 88)8Ben Harding 15Aaron Morris 16Clayton Fortune 25Tim Sills (Spencer 87)26Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz Goal AttemptsOn TargetOff TargetHit WoodworkCornersRefereeAttendanceRay Lewis5,557Southend Utd. cards shown72CorrUnsporting behaviour90+4GrantUnsporting behaviourAldershot Tn. cards shown66JonesUnsporting behaviour
