10:31am Monday 25th January 2010
Southend United 1, Wycombe Wanderers 1 LIFE without Lee Barnard began with a 1-1 draw against Wycombe Wanderers for Southend United on Saturday.
The Shrimpers seemed to be heading for victory without their recently departed top goalscorer when Alan McCormack headed them in front on the hour mark at Roots Hall. But the struggling visitors hit back through Josh Payne just four minutes later to secure a share of the spoils in an open but often poor encounter.
Payne had earlier fired a warning sign after just nine minutes when he fired a low drive straight at Steve Mildenhall from 30 yards before ex-Shrimpers winger Kevin Betsy shot wide of the left post from the edge of the penalty area.
The game was desperately short of action at this stage but with 26 minutes on the clock the visitors came even closer to opening the scoring when Dean Keates headed a left-wing cross from Betsy inches past the left upright with Mildenhall beaten.
Betsy then also teed up Stuart Beavon to fire past the left post before Blues hit back with McCormack charging through the centre of the park to set up an opportunity for Damian Scannell who fired over the crossbar from 20 yards.
Wycombe replied with Keates curling a long range free-kick straight at Mildenhall and, in the 34th minute, the Chairboys again almost broke the deadlock but Beavon’s low drive was superbly saved at point blank range by Mildenhall.
The visitors continued to attack and were soon screaming for a penalty when Betsy went to ground while under pressure from Scott Malone but referee Dean Whitestone waved away their protests.
Having survived the scare, Southend finally registered their first effort of the afternoon on target in the 43rd minute when Franck Moussa’s low left foot shot from 20 yards was smartly smothered by Wycombe goalkeeper Scott Shearer.
And Moussa, who spent time on loan at Wycombe last season, was at it again just moments later as another low effort with his left foot was tipped around the right post by the Chairboys custodian.
The second half also began slowly but in the 58th minute Southend wasted a golden chance to open the scoring when Wycombe keeper Shearer parried a mis-hit effort from McCormack out into the path of Francis Laurent.
But, with the goal gaping, the Frenchman embarrassingly fired over the crossbar with his left foot from six yards when it seemed easier to score. The miss was soon temporarily forgotten about though as the Shrimpers went ahead on the hour mark when Osei Sankofa delivered a fine right wing cross and the on-rushing McCormack headed high into the roof of the net from six yards.
McCormack then turned provider as his through ball picked out new signing Matt Paterson but, after advancing towards goal, the striker disappointingly scuffed his right foot shot wide of the left post. Wycombe immediately made the most of the let off too as they equalised in the 64th minute when Payne, who was making his debut after signing on loan from West Ham in the week, drilled a well-struck shot from 25 yards into the bottom left hand corner of the net.
Blues boss Steve Tilson responded by making a double substitution in the 72nd minute as he introduced both Dougie Freedman and Scott Spencer into the action, while also switching to a 4-4-2 formation.
But it was still Wycombe who next came close to scoring when former Shrimpers full-back Lewis Hunt unleashed a long range shot which Mildenhall pushed wide of the target.
Another ex-Blues player, Matt Harrold, should then have put Wycombe ahead but, after being left unmarked just eight yards from goal, the striker could only head Keates’ left wing corner wide of the right post.
Wycombe went close again in the 83rd minute when Beavon fired inches wide of the right post from 20 yards.
And late on only a brilliant save by Mildenhall stopped Matt Phillips claiming all three points for the visitors, who have still yet to lose at Roots Hall.
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