Just three days on from the disappointing defeat against Blackpool, Southend had a chance to right the wrongs with a short trip up the A1 to League Two Stevenage in the first round of the Caraboa Cup. On paper, it should’ve been an easy victory however Blues haven’t won in the competition since 2010, a fete which has seen Southend lose their last 8 games in the competition. Both sides were looking for their first victory of the season, and Bond demanded a response from his side.
The manager opted for a 4-4-2, with Bishop being given his first start of the season between the sticks; a back four of Elvis Bwomono, Joe Shaughnessy, Harry Lennon and Nathan Ralph; Isaac Hutchinson was given his second start of the season whilst Stephen McLaughlin returned to the side on the other wing; Captain Mark Milligan and Sam Mantom were in the middle of the park whilst Simon Cox and young Charlie Kelman started up top.
It was a bright start for the Shrimpers when Kelman pounced on the ball in the middle of the park before driving forward and setting up Stephen McLaughlin for a strike just outside of the box. Macca was determined to impress after his horror show vs Coventry and he was doing exactly that. The Irishman linked well with his teammates and caused many problems for the Stevenage defence. The pressure continued and Southend won an early free kick on the eighth minute on the edge of the box after a foul on Nathan Ralph. However, Mantom’s freekick struck the back of Harry Lennon’s head leaving the centre half on the floor for a good minute. It was noticeable that this affected the defender, who seemed to be showing signs of concussion. The 24 year old was struggling to move properly and didn’t have a clue where he was or what he was doing. This caused problems for us, and on the 14th minute Dean Parrett hit a wonderful strike from 20 yards out against the run of play to put the hosts 1-0 up.
The goal meant Blues’ wait for a cleansheet extended to 28 games. It was no longer a question of if Southend had the ability to perform but if they had the mental toughness to fight back away from home. At first it seemed this wouldn’t be the case. Heads dropped and the defence began to sit back. More mistakes from Lennon meant Kevin Bond had no choice but to bring the defender off for John White, his first appearance since scoring Vs Sunderland.
The confidence began to grow again and a succession of corners piled on the pressure against Stevenage with the away side pushing for an equaliser. Elvis Bwomono had perhaps his best game in a Southend shirt last night, beating his defender at every opportunity and made advantage of the space he was given. The youngster was only stopped when he was fouled, which seemed to be going unpunished from referee Christopher Sarginson.
Southend’s domination wasn’t over and with five minutes of the first half to go Isaac Hutchinson had a glorious chance to equalise had it not been for a great block from the Stevenage defender. Halftime finished 1-0 to the hosts but it would be interesting to see if the visitors could capitalise on their domination.
And Blues did just that. 2 minutes into the second half a perfect Elvis Bwomono cross found the head of Charlie Kelman who scored on his first start of the season; his first goal since the wonder strike Vs Plymouth Argyle in January. With this goal, Southend were playing with a confidence I hadn’t seen in a long time. Blues were pushing and could only be stopped by a series of fouls from their League Two opposition. The eight minute spell was concluded with yet another Charlie Kelman goal- a sweetly hit strike inside the box after a crisp pass from Nathan Ralph.
After this goal, the game was all Southend. Bwomono was a man on a mission, almost unplayable down the right hand side whilst Isaac Hutchinson also done damage, keeping the Stevenage defence on strings. Charlie Kelman’s high pressing also helped cause problems and it was a great advert for the work of Ricky Duncan and the Academy Staff. Down the other end, Nathan Bishop had a quality game. Not called upon often, the youngster kept his focus and commanded his box (something which seems to be missing when Ox plays). The youngster was not afraid to come out for balls and even left his box a few time to clear a few passes. He definitely gets my vote to start on Saturday.
On the 77th minute, Andre Blackman replaced Stephen McLaughlin for his first appearance of the season. The fullback played the remainder of the game on the wing and impressed the travelling fans with his skill and strength. The defender, who is on a monthly contract, definitely repaid the faith Bond put in him and didn’t put a foot wrong.
It was only the last 5 minutes of the game in which Stevenage caused problems. As expected, Southend sat back and invited pressure. However, the Shrimpers kept their heads and saw out their first victory in the EFL cup since 2010. Blues were rewarded for their troubles with an exciting (!) home tie against fellow League One opposition MK Dons. That said, whilst it is a boring tie, it is a winnable one. It is an opportunity for further prize money and an extra chance of playing one of the big boys in Round 3.
Final Verdict: It was an exciting game from Southend. Bond’s tactics and formation were spot on and every player on the pitch was outstanding. Charlie Kelman’s high pressing saw him reap the rewards with his first professional brace whilst Isaac Hutchinson and Nathan Bishop also impressed. White and Shaughnessy were solid at the back whilst Milligan commanded his midfield for the third game in a row. The standout player for me however was Elvis Bwomono. It was a superb performance from the young fullback who made not one mistake the entire game. Up next, we face Danny Cowley’s Lincoln City in front of a bumper crowd at Sincil Bank which will be our toughest test yet. It will be interesting to see if Bond keeps with the side that won last night or if he opts to make a few changes against a side who are yet to concede this season.
The SS2 View 