JOHNNY Herd wants to help Southend United hurl themselves out of the relegation zone this Bank Holiday weekend.

Blues host Yeovil Town at Roots Hall tomorrow before visiting Gillingham on Monday.

And Herd hopes his long throw can play a part in Steve Tilson’s side picking up some valuable points.

“We have been working on my throws and hopefully we can get a goal from them,” said the 20-year-old left-back.

“I’ve always been able to throw the ball a long way and I have no idea why or how.

“It’s something I just suddenly discovered I could do while playing Sunday League football.

“I’ve started using a towel at home games to dry the ball and that allows me to get even more distance which, touch wood, can help the team.”

Southend certainly need all the help they can get right now as they have triumphed just once in their last 14 games.

That has seen them slip to 22nd in the standings and they remain two points from safety.

But Herd wants to be out of the bottom four after taking on the Gills.

“It really is a massive few days for us,” said the youngster.

“If we can get the right results then we can get out of the relegation zone and that’s certainly what we are aiming for.”

However, as Blues attempt to rise up the League One standings they will be missing left winger Franck Moussa.

He will be suspended for the next three matches after being sent off at Bristol Rovers last weekend.

And manager Tilson will replace him with either Scott Malone or the fit again Francis Laurent.

“I have a couple of options but we will miss Franck along with Damian Scannell who is out injured,” said Tilson.

“We don’t have many options out wide at the moment but just have to battle on with what we have.

“You certainly can’t fault the players for effort right now because they have been giving everything.

“We have been playing well but right now I’d take a poor performance and all three points because that’s what we need.”

Blues will also have their own fans in the yellow section of the North Bank for tomorrow’s game against the Glovers.

Southend (from): Mildenhall, Francis, Baldwin, Barrett, Herd, Grant, Christophe, McCormack, Malone, Vernon, Spencer, Paterson, Sankofa, O’Keefe, Laurent and Bentley.