Bees undone by slick Shrimpers

Easter Monday yet more football and the second of three inside seven days, this one though had nothing riding on it, two teams bang out of form in Barnet and Southend Utd.

I’ll be quite honest before I pen this one and if Nick Patel hadn’t bought the tickets weeks in advance nor had we been meeting Darren Currie for a beer afterwards I would have binned it off. Not just on the back of the Dagenham defeat but the season is limping it’s way to the end, it was a dead rubber once Harry Kewell didn’t work out.

I wasn’t expecting much more than a 0-0 draw or a glut of goals at both ends depending on how Dean Brennan and Kevin Maher were going to set up their respective sides, one change for the Bees in Aymen Azaze replacing Jake Askew in goal.

First chance went to Barnet, first goal to Southend. Three minutes, the Bees head one over the bar, one minute later a soft handball in the box and a penalty for the visitors, Harry Cardwell’s shot just out of the reach of Azaze and the Bees chasing the game already.

You could see from that one going in the heads already dropping and the Shrimpers should have been two in front three minutes later, Ephron Mason-Clark and Jordan Thomas clashed in the centre circle leaving Southend to break two on one, but Callum Powell chose the wrong option and shot wayward past Azaze’s post.

With Barnet at sixes and sevens it wasn’t really a surprise that Southend doubled their lead before 15 minutes were on the clock, Azaze unlucky with a deflected shot from Jason Demetriou and already those in the Barnet contingent were anticipating a huge scoreline against.

With a comfortable cushion for the visitors backed by over 1,000 travelling supporters and no real threat from the Bees they looked very comfortable until the 35th minute when Barnet were awarded a penalty kick, Mason-Clark stepped up to take but his effort was saved by Steve Arnold low down to his left.

Very much a non-event of a first half for the home side as the visitors took a two goal lead into the interval, there were two changes at half time from Brennan, Reiss Greenidge who had a torrid first half replaced by Rob Hall which saw Ross Marshall drop into the back four and Daniel Powell hooked for Adam Marriott.

The two substitutes made more of an impact in the first ten minutes than some did in the first 45, more energy for a start and the formation looked a little more likely to bring something to the game.

Eventually the Bees did get a goal back, a fine finish from Marriott just after the hour mark reduced the deficit by one and with the game now separated by a single goal it opened up a little as Barnet went for it and Southend tried to make the game safe with the next goal.

Marriott had a couple of chances he couldn’t quite find the finish for and with two goals ruled offside, Mason-Clark the latter effort in stoppage time moving too quickly to tap in saw the Bees fall foul of a counter attack after the ball was lost in midfield and it was left to former Bee James Dunne to tap in a third in front of the travelling fans to seal the three points for the Essex outfit and another defeat for the home side.

A general feeling of apathy around the club as another season drifts by and although if you measured improvement by points tally or wins gathered then it’s better than last year.

Once again it’s back to going for the socialising rather than the product on the pitch and when you’re paying £22 for the privilege not exactly value for money over the past two seasons, three out of the last four if you must.

As mentioned Daz did come for a beer after the game, his brother Lee also there and Carla Devine, James and Janice Harpin happy to see the old gaffer once again, a good reception given to him on the pitch at the end of the game.

I did get to speak to Dean and John Dreyer well after the game, having spoken to  Dave Anderson on Sunday evening, Dave has left the club regardless of any lack of announcement from the club, and things are in place ready for next season player wise as I expected them to be compared to nothing for the past few years.

The rest of that is down to Tony Kleanthous now, either invest what is needed to make us the minimum competitive or failing that we know it’s an 18th place finish next season whoever is in the chair as manager, it’s one way or the other, no middle road here.

Changing a manager now loses those targets and we go back to shopping in the market for like for like players we have now, the best and the wanted will be gone and we’re no further forward, we’ll know for sure 10-12 games into next season where we sit and indeed if Dean has got it right this summer, and even if he hasn’t is anyone else going to do any better? I’ll let you decide that……

The travelling Southend support