Southend United 1, Millwall 2 (From Echo)

Southend United 1, Millwall 2

12:14am Wednesday 8th August 2012 in Blues By Chris Phillips

SOUTHEND United sunk to a 2-1 defeat against Millwall in their latest pre-season friendly at Roots Hall tonight.

The Lions bagged two first half goals in quick succession and proved to be enough to see them come out on top.

But Blues did improve after the break and got back in to the game with trialist midfielder John Spicer scoring a header.

Southend striker Neil Harris also had a penalty saved against his former side.

However, it was the South Londoners on top early on.

They opened the scoring in the 21st minute when James Henry chipped the ball to the back post, where Chris Taylor towered over Sean Clohessy to head home.

Two minutes later Millwall extended their lead with an excellent goal from lone striker Danny N’Guessan who advanced from just inside the Blues half.

The burly forward ran at the defence cutting in between Ryan Cresswell and Anthony Straker before curling the ball into the bottom corner past trialist Tony Warner in goal.

A shell shocked Southend soon had a chance to get back in to the game when Karleigh Osbourne was adjudged to have handled Ryan Hall’s free-kick inside the penalty area.

But Harris saw his resulting spot kick saved by Millwall goalkeeper Maik Taylor who dived to his left to palm the ball to safety.

After the break, substitute Chris Barker headed another Hall free-kick just wide before Blues found the net in the 63rd minute when Spicer nodded home a fine cross from Harris.

Southend then almost leveled when Straker’s left wing cross looped over Taylor and just off target before the Lions keeper did well to keep out a close range header from Mark Phillips.

He was then beaten by a close an aerial effort from Harris but the effort was harshly ruled out for offside.

Southend United: Warner, Clohessy, Phillips, Cresswell (Barker 35), Straker, Hurst (Ferdinand 63), Leonard (Donnelly 77), Spicer, Hall, Harris, Benyon (Eastwood 63).

Subs not used: Bentley, Prosser, Martin, Woodyard & Brogan.