Venue: Huish Park
Sat 15th November 2003, 3pm kick-off.
Conditions: Overcast and dry, but fresh
Ground: Perfect
Scorers: Lee Elam (33, 1-0), Darren Way (40, 2-0), Lee Johnson (43, 3-0), Lee Johnson (56 pen, 4-0)
Attendance: 5,248 – including approx 180 Southend supporters
Referee: Paul Armstrong (Berkshire)
Assistant Refs: Gary Chapman (Gloucestershire) and Brendan Malone (Wiltshire)
Bookings:
Yeovil: Pluck (44, unsporting behaviour), Elam (69, unsporting behaviour)
Southend: Smith (12, unsporting behaviour), Broughton (38, unsporting behaviour), Hunt (43, unsporting behaviour), Gower (55, unsporting behaviour). Red card: Jenkins (57, foul/abusive language)
Team Line-Ups
Yeovil Town : (4-4-2)
1. Chris Weale
24. Paul Terry 2. Adam Lockwood 4. Terry Skiverton 5. Colin Pluck
24. Lee Elam 6. Darren Way 8. Lee Johnson 10. Nick Crittenden
9. Kevin Gall 17. Jake Edwards
Subs:
7. Adam Stansfield (83, for Terry) 12. Hugo Rodrigues 13. Steven Collis 18. Kirk Jackson (77, for Edwards) 23. Jamie Gosling (71, for Elam)
Southend: (4-5-1)
30. Darryl Flahavan 19. Neil Jenkins 6. David McSweeney 4. Leon Cort 23. Lewis Hunt 7. Mark Gower 22. Jay Smith 11. Jim Corbett 14. Che Wilson 10. Drewe Broughton 9. Tesfaye Bramble
Subs:
1. Carl Emberson 15. Michael Husbands (46, for Broughton) 24. Leon Constantine 2. Duncan Jupp (46, for Corbett) 5. Mark Warren (63, for Wilson)
Noddy Elms’ View Of The Game
NO HAPPY RETURNS FOR WEBB AS JOHNNO SPARKLES
There was no nostalgic return to Huish Park for David Webb. The man who masterminded Yeovil’s current set up received no favours on the pitch in today’s encounter. Webb must have left Huish Park with the glaring realisation of how far away his temporary charges are from promotion form. This game was over by halftime: Yeovil’s midfield dominated the first forty-five minutes and had racked up three goals in the process.
It didn’t look so rosy for Gary Johnson just before three o’clock: Gavin Williams was withdrawn shortly before kick-off. The change meant a home debut start for loan signing Lee Elam with Jamie Gosling warming the bench.
Things could have got worse shortly after as Lockwood took a knock in the opening seconds and needed lengthy treatment. Kevin Gall latched onto the free kick and his pace stretched the Southend defence but keeper Flahavan gathered well taking a knock in the process. Flahavan needed treatment and with three minutes on the clock we had seen less than twenty seconds of play. It seemed a strange start to the game.
The following few minutes were uneventful. It wasn’t until the ninth minute before either goal came under threat. Edwards and Gall combined in the Southend box and Gall’s shot at the near post was blocked when it looked as if he would score. Seven minutes later Yeovil should have again opened the scoring, Crittenden and Gall had pushed up the left wing and created a chance for Lee Johnson, but his shot was weak and Flahavan took it comfortably.
To Southend’s credit they showed that they can play a nice passing game, but too often were indecisive near goal. The Yeovil back four rarely looked troubled. Weale’s goal was rarely threatened but he did need to block Broughton’s strike after 25 minutes.
Lee ELAM had started nervously, and appeared just off the pace. But his home debut turned golden after 32 minutes when he picked up a Southend clearance and his powerful shot deflected past Flahavan’s right-hand to give Yeovil the lead. Yeovil 1 Southend 0. From then on the new boy grew in confidence and looked keen to show his flair. Elam will undoubtedly entertain the Yeovil faithful during his stay at Huish Park, but there was little evidence to suggest that would become a more permanent move.
Having had to wait over half an hour for the first goal, two more came along in quick succession. On 39 minutes Lee Johnson’s chip found Darren WAY surging down the left wing and past the Southend defence. Controlling the ball with his chest and turning inside he coolly curled the ball into the far side of the Southend goal. Yeovil 2 Southend 0.
Southend were reeling and Kevin Gall’s pace caused them no end of problems. Hunt earned himself a yellow card for bringing down Gall him on the edge of his box after 43 minutes. Lee JOHNSON compounded the punishment as he curled the perfect free kick inside the right hand post of the Southend goal. Yeovil 3 Southend 0.
The Gaffer had recently called for his strikers to be more clinical. Today all strikers were firing blank but Johnson’s midfielders could do no wrong. After the trickle of goals from mid-field over recent years we had enjoyed three midfield goals in a ten-minute spell.
Half-time: Yeovil Town 3 Southend United 0
The first half had taken some time to come to the boil, but in that ten-minute spell the game was all but over. With such a commanding lead Yeovil were happy to go through the motions and see the clock tick down. Not that chances didn’t come their way: after only four minutes of the second half Jake Edwards deflected Gall’s cross inches wide of the Southend post. There was little evidence that Yeovil were “going all out”, but three nil is quite an emphatic victory.
At times Southend, confidence shaken, conspired to compound their woes. If it wasn’t bad enough that Yeovil dominated the game with such little urgency, they would conceded possession time and again.
It was almost apologetically that Yeovil extended their lead after 53 minutes. When Lee Johnson’s cross from the right hit a defender’s arm referee Mr Armstrong pointed to the spot. Lee JOHNSON took responsibility and sent Flahavan to the left while smashing the ball into the roof of the net. Yeovil 4 Southend 0. It was a fitting reward for Johnson who was having one of his best matches for Yeovil. He was instrumental in all good things happening on the right, Johnson, Terry and Elam looked such an effective trio.
From then Southend went into total destruction mode as Jenkins continued to argue with the linesman on the Bartlett Stand side, earning his marching orders in the process.
Southend had brought on Husbands and Jupp at half time, and later introduced Warren, but all to little avail. Yeovil swapped Elam, Edwards and Terry with Gosling, Jackson and Stansfield. Jackson headed onto the Southend bar and Stansfield’s hard work set up Gall to the right of the Southend box, but Gall shot well wide.
It was not until injury time that a Southend free kick threatened the Yeovil goal, but Chris Weale was alert to ensure a welcome clean sheet.
Final Score: Yeovil Town 4 Southend United 0.
A good day at the office: ominously similar to last season when Yeovil consistently overwhelmed inferior competition. And we know how last season ended.
Tip of the day for David Webb: don’t throw away the pipe and slippers.
Noddy Elms
Full-time: Yeovil Town 4 Southend United 0
MOTM Vote Result:
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Overall match rating: 7.8 / 10
Performance: 7.9
Entertainment: 7.7
63 votes received.