Southend's Kevin Barry celebrates after scoring the opener. | Photos: Noel Browne
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This was a game Southend United simply had to win. Going into the game they were six points behind their opponents at the bottom of the table, although they did have a game in hand. The previous week they were dreadfully unlucky to have beaten Johnville.
They had to settle for a draw in that contest but on Sunday in Southend Park they never looked in any real danger and all the three points banked at half time. The win will have lifted the Tangerines and now they can without doubt see light beginning to come at the end of the tunnel. Ferrybank on the other hand will be looking nervously over their shoulders during the coming weeks.
The first goal was always going to be important in this game and it came in favour of the home side after only four minutes as Paddy Barrett slipped in Darren White and after both he and Stephen Murphy had efforts saved by keeper Magee, midfielder Kevin Barry made no mistake from the third amount from 14 yards.
It was a disappointing start for the visitors, however they did have a chance of their own on 21 minutes when Brian Mallon got his head on the end of a Cormac O’Driscoll right-wing delivery but keeper Cliff Kearney before the defence cleared the rebound.
Mallon brought the best out of Kearney less than two minutes later but things were soon to get worse from Ferrybank’s point of view as they conceded a howler of a second goal on 29 minutes, one that keeper DJ Magee won’t like reminding of.
