Phoenix FM’s JOHN CHUBB reporting from Roots Hall
Southend United shared the spoils with Peterborough in what was a high tempo game of football at Roots Hall.
Blues were again without captain Anton Ferdinand – still serving a suspension following his post-final dismissal in the recent 4-1 defeat at Doncaster Rovers – and Jermaine McGlashan who received a red card in the 3-0 reversal at Wigan Athletic on Saturday. Forwards Simon Cox and Marc-Antoine Fortune came into the starting line up, replacing McGlashan and Theo Robinson.
Southend took the lead with 10 minutes gone when Fortune’s right foot shot found the corner of the net. His striking colleague Cox had a decent chance only a minute later, but Posh goalkeeper Jonathan Bond was alert to the danger and saved comfortably from the former West Bromwich Albion man.
Blues had the better of the first half of the match, one of the few Peterborough chances in this period coming from a Marcus Maddison corner midway through the half, but despite the best efforts of his team mates to find an opening the ball was scrambled to safety by the home defence. Gwion Edwards had a header for Posh on the half hour mark, but it sailed high over the bar. Anthony Wordsworth then fired wide for Southend in the 34th minute, following good work down the right flank from youngster Dru Yearwood.
In the second half, with 54 minutes gone Yearwood made another lighting run down the right and his powerful shot bounced off the crossbar. But only a minute later Peterborough caught the home side on the break, Jack Marriott firing the ball home from close range after a goalmouth scramble, to bring the game level and score his 10th goal of the season for the Posh. Maddison had another goalmouth effort just before the hour mark, Mark Oxley in the Southend goal saving this time but Posh were clearly energised by their equaliser and playing with increased confidence.
Shrimpers manager Phil Brown obviously wanted more attacking options as the game approached the final 20 minutes left, as he replaced Fortune with fellow strikers Robinson and Nile Ranger. Wordsworth then attempted to put Blues back in front, with a volley which went wide of Bond’s goal. Robinson and Ranger then made a quick impact, both of them having shots from the edge of the area but both caught by Bond.
13 minutes from time Jason Demetriou had a close range effort parried away by Bond as Southend continued to push hard for a winner. Josh Wright had a great effort tipped over the bar by Bond in the 79th minute. Then it was Oxley’s turn to save the day for Southend as he made a superb save from Peterborough substitute Callum Chettle’s header, following an excellent cross from Edwards.
As the game moved into four minutes of added time Wright had another chance for the Shrimpers, but it was too high. So Southend gained a draw following two disappointing defeats on the road, and remain in 15th place in League One but many Blues fans will have gone home thinking they should perhaps have picked up all three points.
Southend: Mark Oxley, Jason Demetriou, John White, Ryan Leonard, Dru Yearwood, Anthony Wordsworth, Stephen McLoughlin (Theo Robinson 68), Josh Wright, Michael Timlin, Simon Cox, Marc-Antoine Fortune (Nile Ranger 68).
Peterborough: Jonathan Bond, Jack Baldwin, Steven Taylor, Ryan Tafazolli, Andrew Hughes, Leonardo Da Silva Lopes, Anthony Grant, Jermaine Anderson (Callum Chettle 78), Gwion Edwards, Jack Marriott, Marcus Maddison.
Attendance: 5789 (228 from Peterborough)
