SPRATS 1 SHRIMPS 4

We’ve been through bad times before, but none, I sense, as bad as this. Destitute off the pitch, the fans in the dark about the clubs future, a team devoid of passion and ideas, a manager no one supports – in poor times before we have had a figurehead to get behind – a manager perhaps or a player or two. Walking away today the thought struck me that all we really have left to care about is our fellow fans. Noone else deserves us.

Todays game was largely summed up by the huge disappointment that rang around the ground when we found out we had seven minutes more to watch when the 90 was up. Yet again an average side (and I mean no disrespect to our deserved victors) took us apart in a series of defensive errors and at the other end the forwards fired more blanks than the waiting room at an IVF clinic. The story of our season continues.

Vokes and Gradel replaced Pitman and Bradbury from the side that lost so narrowly at Cheltenham with the side playing its normal 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 formation.

Its no coincidence that both of our recent relegation seasons featured Stewart in goal. Today he managed to put on a performance of dire incompetence that stood out even by his own pathetic standards. We had started the game OK before Calamity Stewart took over. Gradels run into the box in the 2nd minute should have brought an early penalty and 6 minutes later Gradel tricked his way down the right and crossed for Vokes to be denied by a Flahavan tip over.

So far so good. Southend had not had an attack of note but when they did on the 18th Hooper left Perrett for dead down the right and his routine cross was flapped at by Stewart to GOWER who thumped the ball back past him.

Clearly warming to his role Stewart plunged new depths on the 23rd minute when FRANCIS was presented with the ball by Hollands 35 yards out. His speculative grass cutter fired its way towards our hero who managed somehow to lie in its path and flick it on into the net.

By this point Cherries heads had all but dropped although Hollands fired wide when it was easier to score on the half hour mark and then Vokes broke clear but curled wide of the post just after.

A goal then might have breathed hope into the side, but as it was Southend broke again when Tessem presented the outstanding Hooper with the ball and he crossed for BLACK to fire past a stationary Stewart and in off the bar. The ground rung out with ‘Bond Out’ and the hairsprayed supremo retreated so far back into the executive box recess he was almost in the car park

HT 0-3

Cherries came out with a bit more spirit in the second half and were handed an early life-line in the 49th minute when Gradel crossed for Vokes who was denied by a palm out from Flahavan. The ball spun out wide for Cummings to volley across goal and the unfortunate HUNT turned into his own net.

The fight back looked like it was suffering an early set back when almost straight from the kick off Stewart gave the ball away on a kamikaze mission to the corner flag and watched stranded as Perrett was harshly judged to have pulled down Hooper as he went to head the resulting centre. Gower fired the penalty wide.

Bournemouth started to get the upper hand on possession and the crowd rallied but Vokes fired just over on the 63rd and the final lifeline had gone.

A minute later Gowling misjudged a hopeful high-ball for HOOPER to steal – for some bizarre reason Stewart had also come to the edge of the area to collect and him and Gowling were left staring at each other while the Southend forward ran past them to stroke into the net.

If we didn’t know it already that was game over although Southend relaxed enough to let Vokes miss an open goal on 74 mins when he failed to make contact, Kuffour ran and shot just wide and on the 88th Hollands eight yard volley with the keeper stranded was somehow kept off the line by Barratt.

The atmosphere throughout the second half was ugly and there was no doubting the loudness of dissent against Bond today. Whether the board will listen when they can get rid of him for a lot less after administration is another matter. If he is still in place for Tuesday then the administrators must only be just around the corner.

PLAYERS

Stewart 2 More Helen Keller than Kasey Keller. An utter joke.

Young 4 Resolute but out paced and distribution poor

Perrett 4 Not determined enough and pulled around today

Gowling 4 Out thought and out fought.

Cummings 6 Pick of defenders – though not difficult

Gradel 5 – at centre of rare attacking moments but drifted.

Hollands 6 – kept fighting but limited impact

Tessem 4 – Passed ball rapidly – mainly to Southend. Unfit.

Cooper 5 – A decent right defender lost in midfield – didn’t hide.

Kuffour 6 – Liveliest attacker let down by tactics.

Vokes 5 – Battled away solo but poor when chances fell again. TACTICS

Personally I think 4-5-1 is effective away from home but at home it leaves the front man too stranded and the wide players too deep when they receive the ball. The players struggled to adjust and the rare attacks we had today were all by luck and not by design. Defensively we were were not committed or sharp, which you need to be when you have got a Ryman Div 2 standard keeper.