A LATE goal from Charley Kendall secured Southend United a 2-1 win at Bishop’s Stortford this afternoon.
A first half penalty from Shrimpers wing-back Gus Scott-Morriss was quickly cancelled out by Stortford striker Saleem Akambi.
- READ MORE: Maher reacts to Blues' win at Bishop's Stortford
- READ MORE: £6 for six months, subscribe now for the most extensive Southend United coverage
But Blues hit back late on with Kendall on target to secure Kevin Maher’s side their first victory of pre-season.
The Shrimpers started on the front foot with Josh Walker heading Nathan Ralph’s left wing cross over the crossbar from eight yards out.
Moments later, Walker’s cleanly struck left footed shot was well held by Bishop’s Stortford goalkeeper Adam Hayton before the hosts replied with Akambi seeing a low, right footed smothered by Collin Andeng Ndi down to his right hand side.
With play soon switching back to the other end of the field, Tom Hopper sent a feeble right footed shot wide of the right post after excellent approach play from Keenan Appiah-Forson.
After surviving the scare, Steve Castle’s side soon replied with substitute Presley Evans curling a 25 yard shot straight at Andeng Ndi,
But Southend stood firm and opened the scoring in the 36th minute, with last season’s top scorer Scott-Morriss on target from the penalty spot.
The spot-kick was awarded after goalkeeper Hayton brought down Appiah-Forson in the box and Scott-Morriss made the most of the opportunity by sending his resulting shot into the left hand side of the net.
However, Southend were not ahead for long as the hosts drew back level within two minutes.
The lively Obi Onyeagwara got the better of Adam Crowther before rolling the ball into the path of Akambi who scored with a neatly taken first time finish with his right foot.
Blues made 11 changes at the break and soon came close to regaining the lead when Jack Bridge’s close range header was tipped over the crossbar by Stortford’s replacement goalkeeper Josh Blunkell.
From the resulting Bridge corner, Leon Parillon sent an acrobatic effort over the crossbar but Southend were soon nearly undone at the other end of the pitch as an overhit Ben Goodliffe drifted wide of the left post with Nick Hayes slipping while attempting to reach the ball.
The Shrimpers hit back with summer signing Sam Austin heading Parillon’s left wing cross over the crossbar from eight yards out but Steve Castle’s side soon threatened with a trialist winger getting in behind Oli Coker before seeing his shot blocked by the advancing Hayes.
Southend soon rallied with Parillon seeing a header deflected over the crossbar before Goodliffe nodded the resulting Coker corner against the inside of the left post.
However, the Shrimpers were not to be denied for so long and went back in front nine minutes from time with Kendall scoring his first goal of pre-season.
The striker was picked out by an inviting left wing cross from Slavi Spasov and scored with a well-taken effort high into the top left hand corner of the net.
Bishop’s Stortford again came close to scoring an immediate equaliser when a substitute striker fired wide of the left post when well placed in the penalty area.
A relieved Southend hit back with Austin volleying Bridge’s left wing cross wide of the left post but a third goal was not forthcoming for the Shrimpers who comfortably saw out the closing stages to triumph.
Southend United first half: Andeng Ndi, Scott-Morriss, Taylor, Crowther, Ralph, Boyes, Morton, Appiah-Forson, Husin, Walker, Hopper
Second half: Hayes, Wind, Goodliffe, Gubbins, Coker, Miley, Bridge, Austin, Parillon, Spasov, Kendall.
Share