Football League Trophy Crawley Town - Southend United
If United are committed to this tie, they should win and quite possibly with a degree of comfort. Town are struggling after relegation last seaon are yet to win at home and sit in 21st place in League 2, just three points off the bottom of the entire Football League, they have scored just 10 home goals (16 starts) in 2015 and are considered a bit of a soft touch at the Broadfield Stadium currently. They are coming off very lengthy trips to Newport and Plymouth last week and boss Mark Yates admitted that the league is their only priority. The club are now on limited resources, after being big spenders in recent years and it is always an issue when the money finally runs out, they were forced to try and bring in some bargain basement signings in the summer and they were trialling lots of players right through pre season.
Tonight they have Lanre Oyebanjo and Jon Ashton sidelined with injuries, Freddie Woodman (ever present goalkeeper) and Josh Yerworth are on international duty and Rhys Murphy is cup tied . That will mean a backline with probably an average age of 20 yo, with 19 yo goalkeeper Callum Preston making his debut behind them !
Southend are doing well in their first season back in League 1 and sit just two points off the playoff spots, they are coming off a 1-0 defeat at leaders Burton Albion at the weekend where they felt they were the better team and deserving of at least a point, infact, they were very angry that they lost. These are two teams very much heading in opposite directions and as I said at the start of these notes, the visitors should be able to ease home here if they are motivated and the loss at Burton should ensure they are and I simply cannot see Town being strong enough at the back to put up too much resistance.
Southend United -0.5 ball 1.97 asian line/Sportmarket.
If United are committed to this tie, they should win and quite possibly with a degree of comfort. Town are struggling after relegation last seaon are yet to win at home and sit in 21st place in League 2, just three points off the bottom of the entire Football League, they have scored just 10 home goals (16 starts) in 2015 and are considered a bit of a soft touch at the Broadfield Stadium currently. They are coming off very lengthy trips to Newport and Plymouth last week and boss Mark Yates admitted that the league is their only priority. The club are now on limited resources, after being big spenders in recent years and it is always an issue when the money finally runs out, they were forced to try and bring in some bargain basement signings in the summer and they were trialling lots of players right through pre season.
Tonight they have Lanre Oyebanjo and Jon Ashton sidelined with injuries, Freddie Woodman (ever present goalkeeper) and Josh Yerworth are on international duty and Rhys Murphy is cup tied . That will mean a backline with probably an average age of 20 yo, with 19 yo goalkeeper Callum Preston making his debut behind them !
Southend are doing well in their first season back in League 1 and sit just two points off the playoff spots, they are coming off a 1-0 defeat at leaders Burton Albion at the weekend where they felt they were the better team and deserving of at least a point, infact, they were very angry that they lost. These are two teams very much heading in opposite directions and as I said at the start of these notes, the visitors should be able to ease home here if they are motivated and the loss at Burton should ensure they are and I simply cannot see Town being strong enough at the back to put up too much resistance.
Southend United -0.5 ball 1.97 asian line/Sportmarket.
