BRANDON Goodship and Stephen McLaughlin were both absent for Southend United against Blackpool on Saturday.

The duo both started on the opening day of the season but watched the weekend's 3-1 defeat from the stands. 

But Goodship was initially in line to start before the summer signing was forced out with an injury sustained in training.

“Brandon would have been in my team but he injured his hip flexor in training on Thursday,” said Bond.

“I feel for him because he got through all of pre-season and he would probably have been playing a little bit nearer to the role I know he ideally likes.

“But he got himself injured so he was unable to figure for us.”

And McLaughlin also missed training at the start of the week.

“McLaughlin was really disappointing last week against Coventry and sustained an injury which might have had something to do with it to be fair,” said Bond.

“He didn’t train until Thursday.”