Southend United 1, Northampton Town 2

5:00pm Saturday 16th February 2013 in Sport By Chris Phillips

Bilel Mohsni - sent off on his return to Southend United Bilel Mohsni - sent off on his return to Southend United

BILEL Mohsni was sent off on his return to Southend United as Paul Sturrock’s side suffered a 2-1 defeat against Northampton Town at Roots Hall this afternoon.

The Frenchman was dismissed after 27 minutes for a studs high challenge on Cobblers winger Chris Hackett.

And, despite battling hard with 10 men, Blues were eventually undone by a last gasp header from visiting captain Kelvin Langmead.

Before the late drama, Southend were on top and, with just two minutes on the clock, Kevan Hurst’s drilled low cross from the right hand side just flew past the sliding Britt Assombalonga at the far post.

Moments later, Danny Mayor cut in off the left flank and curled a 20 yard shot just inches past the right post.

But having survived the scares, Northampton took the lead in the 11th minute with former Blues loanee Roy O’Donovan on target.

The Irishman reacted quickly at the far post when a long right wing throw from Ben Tozer was flicked on in to his path and guided a fine shot back over his head and in to the right hand side of the South Stand goal.

Blues then suffered another huge blow in the 27th minute with Mohsni being shown a straight red card and the Frenchman could have no complaints about the decision as his studs went in to the chest of Cobblers’ midfielder Chris Hackett when attempting to make a challenge.

Southend reorganised by bringing Freddy Eastwood on for Danny Mayor and moving Barry Corr back in to the middle of defence.

Eastwood’s first involvement saw him fire a low 30 yard shot straight at Northampton goalkeeper Lee Nicholls but 10 men Blues continued to battle hard.

And, with 65 minutes on the clock, they drew back level as Kevan Hurst’s right wing corner picked out Matthew Lund, who was making his debut after signing on loan from Stoke City, and his header deflected off Langmead before hitting the back of the net via the inside of the left post.

Moments later, Southend came close to going in front when a 30 yard free-kick from Eastwood flew just inches over the crossbar and, in the 76th minute, Hurst had a swerving shot from the edge of the penalty area blocked by the legs of Northampton goalkeeper Lee Nicholls.

Hurst then had another long range shot smothered by Nicholls but the Cobblers hit back to win it right at the death when Adebayo Akinfenwa’s header was met by Langmead who nodded the ball in to the back from four yards with Smith staying rooted to his line.

Comments(14)

gary 51 says...
5:35pm Sat 16 Feb 13

PS when you go please take that useless article called a goal keeper with you, he has cost us big time ths season.

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lucy10 says...
5:51pm Sat 16 Feb 13

gary 51 wrote:
PS when you go please take that useless article called a goal keeper with you, he has cost us big time ths season.
ps can only do with what he got no money and a crap chairman

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Colin C White says...
6:09pm Sat 16 Feb 13

Corr Man of the Match, Clohessy close behind. Smith a poor all round keeper but great shot stopper. Cost us again. Assombalonga again marked out the game and should have been off after 60 mins not 92. Harris and Reeves should start - we need Harris's know how and experience and Reeves talent or season will peter out. Manager is going down same route as last season Dec- Feb which killed our chances then. Fingers crossed for Wednesday.

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Seasider90 says...
6:25pm Sat 16 Feb 13

We'llnea bloody miracle against Orient. Corr was truly outstanding today covering for the brainless Moshni. I'm a big fan of Billy but he's cost us bigtime. We'll go ut of the cup and then get our best players back forthe end of season run in. Play offs at best.

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orsettblue says...
9:25pm Sat 16 Feb 13

I actually dont blame sturrock for playing Mohsni, worth a risk but what a plonker he is; studs in a blokes chest.

It's still close for the play-offs so all is not lost, think we'll get a score draw wednesday with Corr scoring on 73 minutes

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bongking says...
10:13pm Sat 16 Feb 13

sturrock is a good manager, but he made a mistake bringing mosi back, if no other team want him he must be french s--t, we could have won that game without him, please don't play him again. and when we get all our players back from injury, i still think we are contenders to go up.
oh yes before i go why on earth did our fans cheer mosi when he was sent off, he lost us the game not sturrock!!!!

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benfleetblue says...
10:18pm Sat 16 Feb 13

Where's the common sense here- Sturrock needs to use the players that are part of his everyday squad not some jumped up fool that has no respect for anyone else. Mid table finish this season at best and not much hope in the cup.
New manager needed to rebuild this ordinary team and to start to play football as we had when ST was in charge.

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deltrotter says...
7:40am Sun 17 Feb 13

not a new manager needed a new chairman get rid of ron martin before he runs this club into the ground sorry to late he already has run us into the ground just a matter of time before sufc are no more he does not want promotion and sturrock is his lap dog obeying martins orders

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bongking says...
11:45am Sun 17 Feb 13

The object off football is to win as many games as we can!, not to bring in a manager, as get us to lose, Its no good saying get rid of martin, and sack the manager, honestly who would take over the club, and ST, is history, when we are winning fans don't like sturrock, he's in a no win situation, bring in a new manager, do you think they can turn things around, look at QPR, and COLCHESTER new managers but not playing very well!!!

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bongking says...
1:23pm Sun 17 Feb 13

Good news the club will go into liquidation soon, and you fans will have your wish, not chairman, no club, no stadium, no new owners, will be interested in the old club, because there is no money about, i do think ron martin does want to get out, things are not going his, and sturrock's way so you may have to find another club to support, good luck goodbye SOUTHEND UNITED!!!

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Nothingbettertodo says...
12:15pm Mon 18 Feb 13

Agree with bongking, shameful ovation for Moshni when he was sent off. Why oh why cheer the bloke who refused to come back to the club in the first instance and then when PS grovels hard enough, repays him and the fans by a ridiculous challenge and subsequently another home loss.
Also agree about Paul Smith, I have rarely seen someone so lost on crosses and with such poor distribution even in league 2. He has to be replaced by Bentley now. Oh and what has happened to Assombalonga, he looks completely lost. Not a fan of Eastwood but he played well on Saturday and has to be given a game against Orient along with Reeves and possible Harris

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deltrotter says...
12:47pm Mon 18 Feb 13

you cant only blame ron martin please look at previous chairman i love a laugh get ready bill ruben,the ruben brothers , anton johnson , bill jobson ,ron martin ,all sold class players ie chico hamilton ,peter taylor ,bill garner,stan collymore ,freddie eastwood just a few to mention where did all the money go ,what was probally one of the best grounds in the divisions we have been playing in and a lot better than some grounds in higher divsions slowly made smaller by being sold of for building land now our biggest asset what we have left is the stadium sold to sainsburys so the only thing we own is the name sufc we .we did not have to build a new stadium roots hall was big enough for the needs of what the supporters needed but no the greedy chairman the above mentioned all slowly stripped sufc of its assets trasfer money mis-spent what a shame to see the club in this situation a lot of premier clbs would of liked the land sufc owned that surrounded roots hall so looking back we would never ever of needed a new stadium just a bit of redvelopment at roots hall.but no why cos the monies slowly vanished from the club all thats left to be sold is the kitchen sink ,will the last one out please lock up say goodbye its the end of sufc teams in the borough combination are being run better mr martin will only take this club to lower divisions and the bankruptcy court ,

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Shrimper Nation says...
1:21pm Mon 18 Feb 13

I started supporting Southend in 2006 and have been very disappointed with recent progress.
Ron Martin has a lot to answer for. All those years in the top division before he came along and none since.
We had never even played in the bottom league until he took over
Truly shameful.

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bongking says...
6:01pm Mon 18 Feb 13

Shrimper Nation wrote:
I started supporting Southend in 2006 and have been very disappointed with recent progress.
Ron Martin has a lot to answer for. All those years in the top division before he came along and none since.
We had never even played in the bottom league until he took over
Truly shameful.
If i remember, i think ron martin was in charge, and he was the one who said the players were to blame, for going down, and just before ST left did'nt our player stop playing till there potential because late wages, i think you can blame both!!!!

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