Ryan Cresswell wants to get back among goals for Southend United (From Echo)

Ryan Cresswell wants to get back among goals for Southend United

10:00am Tuesday 12th March 2013 in Sport By Chris Phillips

RYAN Cresswell wants to get back among the goals when Southend United host AFC Wimbledon at Roots Hall tonight.

The commanding centre-back hit the back of the net in both of Blues’ previous outings against the Dons this season.

And, having now gone 15 games without a goal, the 25-year-old is keen to get on the score-sheet during this evening’s crunch clash.

“I haven’t scored since the Chesterfield game in December so I would like to change that as quickly as possible,” said Cresswell, who has bagged eight goals for Blues so far this season.

“The goals have dried up a little bit but I’ve had a good record in the games we’ve had against AFC Wimbledon and hopefully I can keep that going with getting one tonight.”

Blues beat the Dons 2-1 in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in September before trouncing them 4-0 in the league at the Kingsmeadow Stadium last November.

Cresswell now wants more of the same but realises Southend must start to win more of their home matches if they are to finish in the play-off positions.

“We haven’t won enough games at home yet and that’s something we’ve spoken about putting right as a group,” said Cresswell, whose side have secured just six league triumphs at Roots Hall this term.

“We have chances to put that with the matches we have coming up against AFC Wimbledon, Torquay and Plymouth.

“But them being down towards the bottom of the table means nothing.

“In League Two, you get strange results all the time and anyone can beat anyone.

“We’ve had some disappointing results and matches with teams lower down the league already this season so we know how difficult it will be.”

However, Blues go in to the game on the back of a 2-1 triumph at second placed Port Vale on Saturday.

And that delighted Cresswell.

“We dug in there during the second half and got a great result which we want to now build on,” said the defender.

“There wasn’t ever a problem with the spirit of the side but we were all chuffed to win at the weekend and want to keep on getting the results we need to get back in to the top seven.”

Blues will again be without midfielder Marc Laird (hamstring) and striker Gavin Tomlin (thigh) but the duo are now back in training and could be back in contention for Saturday’s game against Plymouth Argyle.

However, defensive duo Chris Barker(Achilles) and Mark Phillips (broken toe) are facing longer lay-offs while winger Danny Mayor faces a late fitness test on the ankle injury which kept him out of Saturday’s win at Port Vale.