MATCH REPORT: Southend United 4-1 Aldershot Town

On Saturday, I made the trip to Roots Hall, as Southend United hosted in-form Aldershot Town.

It proved to be a successful afternoon for the home side, as they managed to seal back-to-back wins with a resounding 4-1 victory against 10-man Shots.

I report back from the game, in what turned out to be a key afternoon for The Blues in their battle to stay in the National League.

Teams

Southend United

Starting XI: Collin Andeng Ndi (GK), Jason Demetriou, Adam Crowther, Ollie Kensdale, Nathan Ralph, Jack Bridge, Cavaghn Miley, Noor Husin, James Morton, Harry Cardwell, Danny Waldron

Bench: David Martin (GK), Jack Wood, Marcus Dinanga, Wes Fonguck, Henry Sandat

Aldershot Town

Starting XI: Jordi van Stappershoef (GK), Tyler Frost, Rollin Menayese, Haji Mnoga, Ollie Harfield, Ryan Glover, Stuart O’Keefe, Dejan Tetek, James Daly, Josh Stokes, Lorent Tolaj

Bench: Cian Harries, Theo Widdrington, Josh Barrett, Maxwell Mullins, Kwame Thomas

Game Synopsis

First Half

Southend United managed to get the first effort on goal in the game, with James Morton picking the ball up from deep and delivering a pinpoint cross into the penalty area. The ball found the head of Danny Waldron, but his headed effort at goal was comfortably saved by Jordi van Stappershoef.

The Dutchman was again called into action soon after, with Noor Husin getting the ball on the edge of the area and he unleashed a rasping drive from range that stung van Stappershoef’s palms. The Shots goalkeeper managed to parry it away from goal.

The Shots had their first effort of the afternoon, dispossessing Ollie Kensdale. The defender took too much time on the ball, lost out to the challenge of Josh Stokes, and he set Lorent Tolaj in down the right-hand side. The Swiss striker did a step over to work it onto his right foot, and his arrowed shot to the near post was gathered by Collin Andeng-Ndi.

It was Tolaj that repaid the favour in setting up his team mate soon after, and it brought about the first goal of the afternoon. Lorent Tolaj got an effort on goal, and while his effort was parried away from goal, it fell to the feet of Josh Stokes who made no mistake in picking his spot and angling home into the bottom corner to give The Shots the lead.

The home side responded well and almost managed to get back on level terms immediately. A lovely one-two from Nathan Ralph on the left-hand side saw him deliver a low cross to the front post. Danny Waldron timed his run well to get across his man and divert an effort towards goal, but Haji Mnoga got across just in time to put it behind for a corner.

Aldershot Town should have doubled their lead before the half was out, with Lorent Tolaj and Josh Stokes again involved. Tolaj did well to spin away from his man and angle a rising drive at goal. The effort cannoned off the crossbar and bounced back into play, falling to the feet of Josh Stokes, but he could not divert his effort on target as he sliced wide.

The home side were not to be deterred, and kept pushing to get back on level terms. They went close twice through Danny Waldron. The first was a floated cross by Jason Demetriou towards his head and Jordi van Stappershoef kept his nerve to catch right on the goal line. Waldron was again involved soon after, initially doing well to hold off Ollie Harfield before working it onto his left, pushing it past a challenge and curling a left-footed effort on goal.

It would be The Shots that would have the final effort of the first-half, and it was Tolaj again in the thick of it. It was almost a carbon copy of his chance minutes earlier, with a breakaway from Town that saw the ball worked wide into Tolaj’s path. He again showed good foot to work it out of his path away from the defender, but the tame effort was once again taken with ease by Collin Andeng Ndi.

Second Half

The Shots started the second-half brightly, and they thought that they could have had a penalty in the opening couple of minutes. Lorent Tolaj unleashed an effort at goal which was blocked by a Blues defender. The referee waved away the protests from the Town side; no penalty.

The referee had another big decision to make soon after, and it would end up being another decision that did not go the way of the visitors. A ball was played in behind into the path of Danny Waldron. Waldron ran across the back of Rollin Menayese, who had a little tug of his shoulder as he went past (according to Chief Commentator Rob Worrall; I thought it was merely two bodies coming across each other). The referee took his time, but ultimately opted to show the defender a red card.

The Shots would be a man down, and they would soon be back on level terms. From the resulting free-kick, Jack Bridge swung a poor, low cross towards goal. It should have been a routine catch from Jordi van Stappershoef, but the goalkeeper dropped the ball into the path of Harry Cardwell and the striker rifled home.

And, The Blues managed to complete their turnaround soon after. A delicious cross from the left-hand side found Ollie Kensdale unmarked in the box, and the defender helped himself to a goal as he struck past van Stappershoef with a confident finish to make it 2-1.

At this point, the home side were finding their stride and continued to put a lot of pressure on the Aldershot Town goal. Midfielder James Morton should have done better to get on the end of a cross, with the ball swung in from the right and Morton could only hack at an effort as it went wide of the goal.

Danny Waldron almost managed to give the home side daylight a couple of minutes later. The Blues timed a ball in behind the Aldershot Town backline to perfection, and Waldron attempted to chip the ball past the advancing Jordi van Stappershoef. Waldron couldn’t quite divert the ball around the big goalkeeper, as van Stappershoef stood firm and batted away for a corner.

From the resulting corner, The Shots would again have to hold firm. A good cross into the area by Jack Bridge found the head of Nathan Ralph, and his header at goal was blocked by Ryan Glover and turned over for another corner.

The Blues would again ask questions of The Shots from a corner moments later, and this time it was the woodwork that prevented the score being any stronger in Southend’s favour. Ollie Kensdale timed his run into the area well and found a yard of space to get up well and head towards goal. The effort came crashing back off the bar, and cleared to safety; The Blues were knocking at the door.

They would be thankful for the score not being 2-2 with around quarter of an hour to play, as Lorent Tolaj produced an uncharacteristic sloppy execution to a golden chance for the visitors. Ryan Glover swung the ball in smartly to the head of Tolaj; he timed his run in the box correctly, got up well but headed just wide of the far post. A let off for the home side.

But, The Blues would manage to breath a little easier soon after. The ball was worked into Jack Wood, and he showed all of the composure in the world to put not just one player on their backside, but two or three, before rolling the ball home with ease past Jordi van Stappershoef into the bottom right-hand corner to make it 3-1.

And, the home side could put gloss on their win by adding a fourth goal. The ball was lifted in behind into the path of Marcus Dackers. The towering forward took one touch to work it out of his feet, before unleashing an emphatic finish that flew past Jordi van Stappershoef and rounded off a successful afternoon for the hosts; 4-1.

Player Ratings

Southend United

Collin Andeng-Ndi – 6
On the afternoon, I felt that the Southend United goalkeeper was not given a great deal of work to do, with his defence managing to stifle any such threat from the away side. Looking back after the game, I genuinely can’t remember Andeng-Ndi having to pull of a big save to keep the score down. He may be a tad disappointed that he couldn’t make it more difficult for Stokes to score the opening goal, but other than it was relatively hassle free.

Jason Demetriou – 7
The Blues were not able to call upon Gus Scott-Morriss for this one due to an injury, and I felt that – especially in the first-half – they missed his endeavour down the right-hand side. In the opening forty-five, Demetriou perhaps didn’t make the most of the ball in possession and didn’t get as high up the pitch as his predecessor does. However, he came in on stronger in the second-half.

Adam Crowther – 8
The defender has only just signed for The Blues, but on this evidence I feel that they could have found a real gem. He looked a natural on the right-hand side of the back three, displayed a composure with the ball and defended really well. He kept The Shots attack fairly quiet throughout the ninety minutes, and I was really impressed with what I saw.

Ollie Kensdale – 10
The defender was named as the official Man of the Match, and I can see why they opted for him. He was so committed to the cause that he had to go off with a scar wound on his face after taking the full brunt of a tackle, and later had to go to hospital. Committed, diligent and hard-working, The Blues central defender managed to cap a strong display in helping himself to a goal. He was able to keep Lorent Tolaj and James Daly fairly quiet, defending the box well throughout and was the standout performer in a Blues defence that remains statistically the best in the league.

Nathan Ralph – 8
The captain came back into the Southend United backline for this one, and I felt that he had a good game. Particularly in the second-half, there was a real effort to get up in support of Jack Bridge to provide an option on the overlap. He defended diligently, and all in all it he was a welcome addition to the defence with his leadership, work-rate and organisation.

Jack Bridge – 6
For a player that has so much technical quality, I thought that Jack Bridge was sloppy in possession. The final ball was lacking on a number of occasions, with his corner deliveries in the first-half not asking proper questions of The Shots backline and his crosses into the box from open play not having enough craft about them. Bridge is without a doubt one of the most talented wide players in the league on his day, but I don’t feel this was one of his better displays.

Noor Husin – 6
This could well be a ‘copy and paste’ of the description of Jack Bridge. Husin had a lot of the ball in the first-half especially, but I didn’t feel he made use of the ball well enough. He was always trying to to play an extra pass or take that extra touch, and the moves broke down. When he did get the ball away, I felt that it was lacking the quality to cause The Shots problems.

Cavaghn Miley – 9
I thought that the midfielder was superb. He covered so much ground in the middle of the pitch, displayed brilliant positional sense to protect the United backline and made use of his body really well in both being able to look after the ball and also in winning it back. He was particularly capable in timing his challenges well to dispossess the opposition and just poking it away from the Town midfielders. He is so cool and composed under pressure, and very much knits The Blues together.

James Morton – 7
Playing in a more advanced role than I have see him play before – having been more of a sitting midfielder at Weston-super-Mare – but I thought that Morton did well to play on the front foot, passing at speed and picking up clever areas in which to receive the ball on the half-turn and ask questions of the Aldershot Town backline.

Danny Waldron – 10
Man of the Match – see below.

Harry Cardwell – 8
The Blues welcomed Harry Cardwell back from injury recently, and his return has been a huge boost. I thought that Cardwell led the line superbly with his ability to play with his back to goal, providing a platform about which to build, and as usual was a threat in the air. There remains real value in an old-school target man, and Cardwell is one of the best in the National League. I thought that he gave the visitors’ backline no end of problems all afternoon, and was just missing a goal to show for his efforts.

Jack Wood – 7
He had two efforts on the Aldershot Town goal; the second was an exquisite passage of dribbling and a lovely finish. I was clamouring for him to be introduced, and he didn’t disappoint. A classy cameo off the bench for the diminutive midfielder, and I’d like to see more of him in a United shirt.

Marcus Dackers – 7
The striker managed to come on, put himself about and help himself to a goal with an emphatic finish that gave the away goalkeeper little chance. Kevin Maher will be pleased that Dackers was able to come on and contribute in the way that he did, just underlining the strength that they have in their squad.

Wes Fonguck – N/A
The midfielder was introduced at the end in place of the injured Ollie Kensdale, but wasn’t on for any great length of time to really contribute.

Aldershot Town

Jordi van Stappershoef – 6
A costly error. The ball in by Jack Bridge for the hosts’ opening goal should have been dealt with by Jordi van Stappershoef as a routine save, Yet, a basic handling error meant that The Shots were back on level terms. I have to give the Dutchman credit, however, as he was able to regroup well during the game and if it wasn’t for a couple of flying saves in the second-half, it would have been more than just the four goals.

Tyler Frost – 8
While Tyler Frost could have been better with the ball, I thought that this was a really good tactical display from frost with his work off the ball to keep the home side quiet. His efforts are not reflected on a scoresheet, but the work that he did to keep Jack Bridge fairly quiet and limit his input was key. Frost was limping towards the end and flat out on his feet, and that was indicative of a player that showed a superb work-rate and filled in as both full-back and as wing-back when required.

Haji Mnoga – 7
The Tanzanian defender made some important interceptions and blocks in the first-half to stop a barrage of crosses into the Aldershot Town box. He will be slightly disappointed that they collapsed as they did in the end, as I felt that in the most part they defended quite well. Mnoga was probably the pick of the defenders for the visitors.

Rollin Menayese – 6
I thought that Menayese was a tad unfortunate to be sent off – I felt a yellow would have been suffice – but up until that moment I was impressed with the defender. He was quite aggressive in his defending and fairly composed in possession. Ultimately, however, he was involved in the key moment in the match which was the defining factor in turning the game on its head. There is without a doubt a top player in here, and I saw glimpses of that with his display, but he was an unlucky beneficiary of one of many poor refereeing decisions.

Ollie Harfield – 6
Uncharacteristically, it felt as if the Aldershot Town left struggled throughout this game, with The Blues being able to pin Harry Cardwell or Danny Waldron onto Harfield in the left channel and get runners off of him. United were able to make use of their height advantage in this area of the pitch as an outlet about which to base their attacking play, and it was a constant threat all afternoon.

Ryan Glover – 9
The once-winger is having a really strong campaign under Tommy Widdrington. One area in which Glover’s game has seen real improvement – particularly in this game – was his work off the ball. He produced tow key defensive headers in the first-half and made a key block in the second, and was diligent in his defending. He started on the left and then slotted in on the right, and I thought he was The Shots’ standout performer.

Stuart O’Keefe – 6
One area in which I felt that Southend United did have the beating of The Shots was in midfield. Stuart O’Keefe has not played a great deal of football this term with his injury absences, and I felt that there was evidence of rustiness here. The home side were able to raw him into making challenges and then pop the ball around him and make use of their superior mobility, and so it was a tough afternoon for the midfielder.

Dejan Tetek – 7
Of the two Aldershot Town midfielders that started the game, I thought that Dejan Tetek was the pick of those. At times, I would have liked to have seen him move the ball on a bit sharper, but on the whole he was fairly composed with the ball at his feet and it was through Tetek that much of the play was centred for The Shots.

Josh Stokes – 8
Stokes got The Shots’ only goal in the game, and I felt that he looked sharp from the off. Constantly picking up the half-spaces in between the midfield and defence of Southend United, getting on the turn and running at the opposition, Stokes was constantly asking questions of the home side. He perhaps will be disappointed, as he should have ended the game with more than just the one goal. He showed the versatility to be able to slot into midfield during the final stages of the second forty-five, too, and so I thought he impressed.

Lorent Tolaj – 9
The forward may not have got on the scoresheet in this one, but I was once again hugely impressed with the work that Tolaj did during this game. The amount of work that he does in winning the ball back, holding it up, bringing others into play and carving out opportunities for his team mates perhaps doesn’t get the credit that it deserves. Right until the very end of the game, Tolaj was running the channels and trying to create something out of nothing. Good work, Lorent!

James Daly – 6
The former Woking man is always someone that I have felt is better suited as a left-sided option, and so I was a tad surprised to see him playing through the middle. Daly’s skillsets are getting the ball at his feet, being direct at his man and utilising his close control and dribbling to ask questions; he doesn’t want to be playing up against 6ft 3/4in centre-backs. Daly is a hugely talented player, but this position doesn’t suit him. A re-think required.

Cian Harries – 6
The away side introduced Harries to allow them to go back to their 3-5-2 shape – albeit with only 10 players to that system – but his arrival certainly gave them better balance, even if they did go and concede a further two goals. The Shots backline have done well in recent weeks in keeping back-to-back clean sheets and it looked like Harries may miss out; he will now get the chance to come back in by way of Menayese’s dismissal.

Josh Barrett – 5
The midfielder came on and in truth did very little, with his sole effort of note coming from distance.

Kwame Thomas – 8
The striker scored in midweek – albeit fortuitously – and on the evidence of what I saw from the striker here, he should have started the game. When Thomas came on, he caused The Blues backline greater problems with his ability to hold the ball up, back into players, and against a big Southend United defence, Thomas certainly asked more questions of them than they had been earlier in the match.

Man of the Match – Danny Waldron

He may not have got a goal to show for his efforts in this one, but I thought that former Rushall Olympic front man Danny Waldron was The Blues’ best player on the day; a superb performance.

The best complement that I can give Danny Waldron is that he does not look like a player that is adjusting to the National League; he looks as if he has been at this level for a long while. What really impressed me was the way in which he is already dove-tailing so well with Harry Cardwell. Waldron has quickly worked out where the loose ball is going to drop, how to play as a pair, and he made it look like he has been playing alongside Cardwell for a number of years.

The Blues struggled in the first-half to properly get into the game, but Waldron was one of the brighter sparks for the hosts in being able to drop into clever areas in midfield, get on the turn and then drive at The Shots backline; indeed, making use of his pace and power.

Waldron’s work-rate was notable, and he didn’t stop running from minute one to minute 95. He was everywhere; he dropped into midfield, he ran the channels, he offered an outlet in behind, he came short, he play into chest, into feet. The striker was selfless in his efforts, and I thought that he was key to getting The Blues playing in an attacking sense. He set the tone, and it was only a goal that was missing.

Takeaways

Southend United

After winning in mid-week against Maidenhead United, Southend United boss Kevin Maher will be delighted that his side were able to make it back-to-back victories.

What will particularly impress the United boss is the improved quality that they showed during the second-half in being able to put the game to bed. In recent weeks, we have perhaps been critical of United in an attacking sense – both in their inability to create chances and also their profligacy at taking what little chances they do create – and in the first-half they will have had fears that it would be another weekend when that was the case.

Yet, The Blues were able to show an improved end product in the second-half, ensuring that the final ball was crisper and that the finishes were more accurate and controlled. The composure with which Jack Wood scored his goal and the aplomb with which Marcus Dackers scored is the efficiency Maher will want to see going forward.

Although The Shots did only have ten men, the way that Southend United were passing the ball around in the second-half underlines just how good a side they can be at their best and that they are more capable of turning over any side in this league.

Aldershot Town

The Shots ended up losing 4-1, but they won’t overthink this one too much; it certainly wasn’t a 4-1 game. The scoreline without a doubt flatters the hosts.

Aldershot Town manager Tommy Widdrington unsurprisingly drew attention to the sending-off in what was a litany of errors from the referee on the afternoon. The dismissal of Rollin Menayese was one that divided opinion, but one thing that can’t be split is the view that the decision changed the game.

Up until that point, I felt that the away side will have been pleased with their play and although they perhaps didn’t have a great deal of the ball, Tommy Widdrington’s side were particularly dangerous on the counter-attack and caused The Blues problems in transition with their speed and direct running. And, even though in reflection it looks as if they were poor defensively, I actually thought that up until United scored their second, The Shots defended their area well.

The Shots are going to have off days, and Tommy Widdrington was rightly in a bullish mood after the game that he is simply going to write this one off and look forward to the next game; that is all they can do in this situation as they look to try and finish in the play-offs.