Press article:

Swansea City vs. Southend United – Preview - 15/12/2003

After beating Lincoln City by three goals to nil in the F.A. Cup last Saturday, Southend replicated the scoreline in a highly impressive display against Second Division Luton Town in the LDV Vans Trophy southern section quarter-final at Roots Hall three days later. However, despite the draw for the area semi-finals ataking place at 9:55 a.m. tomorrow morning, it will be the three o’clock kick off at the Vetch that the squad will be intently focused on.

For whilst Blues were demolishing the Red Imps a week ago, Darlington were climbing out of the relegation zone and putting the southeast Essex side back in with a 3-0 win of their own at the Reynolds Arena against York City. Cup runs are all well and good and put a healthy amount of money into the coffers, but it is Nationwide League survival that Steve Tilson and Paul Brush know is imperative in the coming six months.

Form at home has picked up, but unfortunately that has coincided with a drop on the Seasiders’ travels again. After winning four of five matches away, the last two Third Division trips from Roots Hall have seen a 4-0 pasting at high-flying Yeovil Town’s Huish Park and a 3-0 reverse at the hands of play-off hopefuls Torquay United. Tomorrow’s opponents find themselves in a similar position to the Gulls, and will also be looking to secure what they perceieve as three vital points.

Thankfully as the squad travel westwards, Tilson and Brush have a number of good selection dilemas. At the back, Mark Warren is back from a mixture of a niggling injury and a one-match suspension, although he did put the ball into his own net in the reserve defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in midweek. Jamie Stuart is also likely to be able to take toi the field after undergoing painkilling injections to see that he can continue despite suffering from a pelvic stress fracture.

Duncan Jupp will not be fit to return having only recently started to comtemplate training with his broken toe. As a result Dave McSweeney is likely to continue at right-back, with Stuart replacing Che Wilson on the opposite flank. Leon Cort and Lewis Hunt have been very impressive in the centre of defence, and will continue ahead of Warren. Darryl Flahavan has managed consecutive clean sheets, and holds his position ahead of Carl Emberson.

The midfield is bolstered by the return of Neil Jenkins, despite the former England Under-20 international having performed poorly after setting Michael Husbands on his way for the 57-second opener on Wednesday. Teenage superstar Michael Kightly is expected to continue after netting his first senior goal against the Hatters three days ago, ahead of Jenkins. In the other wide position, Mark Gower’s withdrawal at half-time was nothing more than a precaution and he should get the nod ahead of the improving Steven Clark.

In the middle, it is a case of as you were. Blues have little option but to persevere with captain Kevin Maher and F.A. Cup first round hero Jay Smith. To their credit, both are fighting hard to impress and retain their places when the injured duo of Jamie Fullarton and Leke Odunsi return to full fitness. The former is expected to return to Boots & Laces training inside the next fortnight, whilst the ex-Millwall and Colchester battler continues to be setback in his fight against the knock sustained against Huddersfield Town in October.

At the spearhead of the team are the club’s two top goalscorers – Tesfaye Bramble who has seven strikes to his name, and Leon Constantine, who netted his ninth of the campaign two minutes into the match against Luton. He was handed his chance when James Corbett dropped out injured, and with the former Blackburn Rovers man out of the picture for a further month, Drewe Broughton, who netted with a diving header in the LDV, and Husbands, who drilled home from thirty yards in the Combination match, are heaping the pressure on.

Swansea will be without influential striker and talisman Lee Trundle, who begins a three-match suspension for a sending-off against York tomorrow. They will also miss midfielder Roberto Martinnez, who continues to struggle with a knee injury and has been forced to consult a specialist. Former Aston Villa man Leon Hylton could miss out after limping away from the Swans’ Tuesday reserve fixture.

The head-to-head record does not make pretty reading, but a victory in Wales has a good omen – the only other time Blues have beaten Swansea at the Vetch Field was a 4-1 triumph in 1990/1, when, of course, United were promoted from the basement division. The 2-1 win six weeks ago was just the second victory against City in 24 meetings on ‘foreign’ soil, but a third would be most appreciated by the gathering of souls opposite the infamous North Bank tomorrow!

Southend United squad (probable): Darryl Flahavan, Carl Emberson, Dave McSweeney, Che Wilson, Lewis Hunt, Mark Warren, Leon Cort, Jamie Stuart, Steven Clark, Michael Kightly, Mark Gower, Jay Smith, Kevin Maher, Neil Jenkins, Michael Husbands, Tesfaye Bramble, Leon Constantine, Drewe Broughton.

Story by Robert Craven

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