Southend United 1 Gillingham 1

Match 78/15/1283 - Saturday, 19th March 2016 - League One

Southend United (1) 1 Wordsworth 21
Gillingham (0) 1 Norris 53
Attendance: 9,135

Entrance: £15 Senior
Programme: £3.00
Mileage: 132/5,799

Match Report

Time will tell how valuable this point will be in the next few weeks. Truth is, I would have taken it on the way in at Roots Hall and at the final whistle was delighted with the result until I heard from elsewhere and with everybody winning it became slightly devalued.

The business end of the season was fully recognised by the Gillingham travelling support who took up all, but 82 of their 2,000 allocation for this relative derby encounter. Those supporters were treated to an early surprise at Gillingham announced the return of Andrew Crofts, now 31, on loan from Brighton for the rest of the season. With the Euros approaching and Crofts continuing to be on the radar of Wales' manager Chris Coleman, the midfielder returning from injury needs playing time in a final push for a place in the squad.

Gillingham opened the game with a flourish and a Brennan Dickenson cross led to a close range header that Daniel Bentley did well to push clear but only to Jake Hessenthaler, whose shot was blocked before the ball was cleared to safety.

Deji Oshilaja, also returning to Gillingham for a second loan spell from Cardiff, failed at the far post to turn in a corner from the right as the visitors continued to make all the early running.

Southend slowly inched their way into the game, Tyrone Bennett tested Stuart Nelson who saved comfortably before after 21 minutes the hosts took a lead just about against the run of play. Glen Kamara played a ball into the left channel, but Jermaine McGlashan, although under some pressure, appeared to be shepherding the ball out for a goal kick, but he turned to clear and only played the ball into the path of Anthony Wordsworth who shot home from around eight yards.

With their tails up, Southend pressed forward in search of a second goal, the diminutive, but influential Jack Payne smashed a shot into the rippled the side netting with some areas of the Southend support thinking it had found the net.

The opening period of the second half saw the visitors picking up the momentum once more. Crofts shot from outside of the box but over the top before Gillingham found an equaliser eight minutes into the half. Dominic Samuel and Josh Wright combined to send Dickenson away once more down the left hand side. The full back's low cross was measured for the onrushing Luke Norris to turn in from inside the six yard box to spark mass celebration behind the goal.

With the mass ranks spurring them on, Gillingham searched hard for a winner. Samuel brought a fine diving save from Bentley and from the resulting corner, Samuel once again tested the custodian who this time needed the help of Wordsworth who cleared his parry from in front of the line.

Southend had the best of the final minutes but Gillingham held firm without too much alarm. A draw was probably a fair result, but it might be one that does neither side any favours.

We are at the business end, just a couple of games away from squeeky-bum time!