Take away that 4-1 win away to AFC Wimbledon and it was a pretty miserable time for the Shrimpers since they knocked Preston out of the FA Cup in late November; eventually beaten in that competition, losing to Swindon in the regional semi-finals of the JPT, only 5 league points out of 15 on offer, not a good time.
However, they stuck in there, and Blues boss Paul Sturrock believes the Essex boys will now reap the reward, starting with the performance that saw Southend put three past the hapless Valiants who could not place anything past returning keeper Glenn Morris in reply, who played a third of the game with a discolated finger!
They did have a player on the scoresheet, poor old centre-back Gareth Owen, his second own goal against the Shrimpers in two successive seasons, thanks mate.
Sturrock told BBC Essex: "I'm very pleased.the important thing is when you go through a bad slump you stay with the pack, stay in the chase, through all the bad results we had lately we've stayed in there, managed to keep ourselves in the top three. The pack definitely closed in, but that's an extra game with three points and it's put a gap between us and some of the others now."
Indeed it has, a very welcome nine-point gap between us and eighth placed Burton, six from Swindon Town in fourth, with still a match in hand over the dangerous Oxford United. Not that he had to in the circumstances, but for once all five players stayed on the bench at the weekend.
Luggy explained: "In the end I decided not to give put of the subs on to give everybody a run out. They didn't want to lose any goals, they wanted to come off with a victory." And they certainly did that, our first league double of the season, with many more to come hopefully!
Source: FOOTYMAD
