Southend United 1, Wycombe Wanderers 0 (From Echo)

Southend United 1, Wycombe Wanderers 0

4:49pm Saturday 1st September 2012 in Blues By Chris Phillips

Sean Clohessy challenges for the ball

BRITT Assombalonga’s early header handed Southend United their first win of the season this afternoon, as they saw Wycombe Wanderers 1-0 at Roots Hall .

The on loan Watford forward nodded home the only goal of the game after just seven minutes.

And the effort was enough to see Paul Sturrock’s side come out on top.

Despite the end result, it was Wycombe who had the first chance of the game when an excellent through ball from Matt Parsons gave Dennis Oli a sight of goal but the former Grays Athletic forward fired wide on the stretch from six yards.

But Blues were not on the back foot for long and grabbed what proved to be the only goal of the game with their first clear chance of the game, as Assombalonga netted for the second game in succession.

The forward reacted well after Ryan Cresswell looping header from Kevan Hurst’s corner was cleared off the line by Matt Spring and sent a diving header found the back of the net.

Moments later, John Spicer fired wide of the target from long range but, in the 28th minute, Southend were forced in to making their first change of the afternoon as Hurst was forced to come off with blurred version.

He was replaced by Anthony Straker on the left flank and the substitute almost netted just nine minutes after his introduction when his low header at the back post was smartly saved by Chairboys keeper Nikki Bull.

Blues then threatened again from the resulting corner as Cresswell nearly netted his second goal in as many games as his side footed volley missed the target by a matter of inches.

Southend threatened again at the start of the second half and should have doubled their lead in the 48th minute when Spicer went through on goal, only to see his low left foot blocked by Bull.

Spicer was then denied by the Wycombe keeper again with 65 minutes on the clock when the midfielder’s low volley was tipped over the crossbar.

In reply, the visitors’ Joel Grant then sent a left footed shot fizzing over Cameron Belford’s goal from the edge of the penalty area but after that goalscoring opportunities were few and far between as Blues hung on to record a morale boosting three points.