Southend United's Paul Sturrock: Experienced Exeter City will be tough but we will be ready (From Echo)

Southend United's Paul Sturrock: Experienced Exeter City will be tough but we will be ready

1:00pm Friday 21st September 2012 in Sport By Paul Sturrock

IT’S Exeter City for us at Roots Hall this weekend and they’re a team packed full of experienced players.

In Jamie Cureton they also have a striker on fire and they will make it tough for us. We go into the game on the back of losing 1-0 at Gillingham and I’m still disappointed by that defeat.

I thought we were the better side for long spells even when it was 11 v 11 but we just didn’t take the chances that came our way.

Their keeper made some good saves to be fair but I thought we were let down by our final ball or finish and that’s something we have been working on this week.

In the second half, when we had an extra man, we were too slow on the ball and gave them too much time to be able to cover what was going on.

I’m also still trying to work out exactly how it wasn’t a penalty when Michael Timlin got brought down inside the area — but the decisions didn’t go our way.

There were still plenty of positives to take out of the night though and I was buoyed by how we took the game to a very strong and well-organised side who are right up there at the moment.

The most worrying aspect for us on the night was the nasty-looking injury to Paul Smith.

I went to see him in hospital after the game but I’m happy to report he’s back home now and he’s making a good recovery.

When he went down injured it didn’t look good and when Paul actually got to hospital he didn’t know what team he played for because his concussion was so bad.

But he will be back at the training ground today for another assessment with our medical team and then we will decide what to do from there.

He will definitely be out for the Exeter game, as will Mark Phillips I would think.

There are several others who also face late fitness tests, including Ryan Leonard and Luke Prosser, but I’ve been really pleased by the approach of all the players this season.

And I’m sure that will continue this weekend — whatever side I put out there to play.

Comments are closed on this article.