Southend 3 Walsall 0
Tuesday 23rd March 2010, 9:30PM GMT.
Ten-man Walsall crashed to a limp defeat at relegation-threatened Southend after seeing Clayton McDonald dismissed in the first-half.
The defender saw red for a two footed challenge on Anthony Grant to become the third Saddlers man to be sent off in four games.
Franck Moussa’s stunning 19th minute volley slammed the Shrimpers ahead, before Scott Spencer’s header put the hosts in control early in the second -alf and Moussa capped the win with a late third.
Steve Jones and Moussa traded long range efforts, but the Southend winger fired the hosts ahead smashing in from the edge of the area after McDonald headed out Johnny Herd’s throw in.
But McDonald’s evening ended early with his sending off after going in hard on Grant 10 minutes before the break.
Matt Richards’ free kick hit the bar in first-half stoppage time, but Southend doubled their lead on 51 minutes when Spencer glanced home Moussa’s cross.
Osei Sankofa hit the bar for the Shrimpers after the break as Walsall failed to mount a fightback and Moussa capped a superb performance by heading home a third in the last minute.
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What a disgrace, after a fine performance against a top 6 side with only 10 men on Saturday, we go away and lose to a bottom 4 side (again with only 10 men). I have to question the control that Hitchings has over the dressing room, I have lost count how many sendings off this season? anyone? maybe 5 or 6.
Hutchings has no imagination when it comes to either team selection or making changes during the game.
Finally, SkySports News referred to Manny Smith as a midfielder and that McDonald was on loan from Man City. Please check your information SSN.
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Wacca, I wouldn’t say it was a “fine” performance against Colchester. It was certainly entertaining, but we rode our luck, Gilmartin made several good saves, they hit the post and we barely got out of our half in the second 45 – thats not a “fine performance” – we did well, we stood firm and kept plugging away, but lets now make it out to be a game where we played Colchester off the park!
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At least we’re not going to notice having two centre backs out simultaneously – Hutchings only seems to want to play one actual CB in defence at a time anyway.
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lol Chad…anything to get Richards in the side!
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We all thought (hoped) that Deeney’s outburst had had the desired effect after Saturday’s improve dperformance. Instead it turns out it was just another of those papering-over-the-cracks games he was talking about.
We will NEVER amount to anything while the clueless Hutchings is allowed to continue his ridiculous team selections and baffling substitutions.
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Guys did my eyes deceive me last night of was Richards playing at centre half?
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Second game in 3 days having to play with ten men for more than a half in both, added to a long journey down to southend. I don’t think the critical comments above are 100% fair, plus the third goal was in the 89th minute which makes it look even worse.
Get a bit of perspective people.
Plus the two sending offs, especially hughes’ is a knock on from the Aaron Ramsey injury. Refs have obviously been told to clamp down on any challenge even remotely hard. It’s nothing to do with Hutchings losing control of anything
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A bit of common sense there desben. How come no-one’s blaming the real culprits for the club’s demise.
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