Southend United's Ryan Cresswell: Focus on playing at Wycombe Wanderers, not Wembley (From Echo)

Southend United's Ryan Cresswell: Focus on playing at Wycombe Wanderers, not Wembley

9:00am Friday 22nd February 2013 in Sport By Chris Phillips

RYAN Cresswell has told Southend United to focus on playing at Wycombe Wanderers not Wembley.

Blues made it through to the final of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy by securing a 3-2 aggregate win against Leyton Orient at Roots Hall on Wednesday night.

But Cresswell, who is now available again after serving a three match suspension, does not want the forthcoming appearance at the home of English football to distract his team from pushing for promotion.

“Wednesday night was magic but we have to focus back on the league now and our main aim of getting promotion,” said Cresswell, 25.

“We need to put the JPT on the back burner now and try to pick I’m some results in the league.”

Blues head to Adams Park tomorrow on the back of successive league defeats which has seen them slip to ninth in the League Two standings.

Paul Sturrock’s side are now five points below the play-offs.

And Cresswell cannot wait to try and help Southend close that gap.

“It’s been horrible for me not being able to play in the last three games but it was my own fault that happened,” said Cresswell, who was sent off at Accrington Stanley following an off the ball incident with James Gray.

“It was out of character for me and their player caught me when I wasn’t expecting it.

“The way I reacted was probably human instinct but that doesn’t make it right.

“I will have to learn from that and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

However, the resulting suspension led to Cresswell being a Sky Sports pundit for the second leg against Orient.

And it was an experience the centre-back enjoyed.

“It was something different and they made me feel very welcome doing it,” said Cresswell.

“I’d much rather be playing but that was the next best thing and it was great to be involved.

“It was real edge of the seat stuff because both teams had chances to win and I was just delighted it was us who got the goal at the end.

“Something similar tomorrow would be great.”

Wycombe go in to the game 14th in League Two table and on the back of two successive defeats having previously lost just one game in seven.