Match Views - Southend

Stephen Robinson.

ATHLETIC manager Stephen Robinson felt his side didn't live up to the promise of recent outings:

"The performance was disappointing and the result takes care of itself from there.

"There were four or five players unrecognisable from Tuesday night at Walsall and the previous Saturday at Oxford.

"There seems to be a real fear factor of playing at home. I can't put my finger on it. How can 3,500 people intimidate you? I actually thought the crowd were very good, not getting on the boys' back when I probably would have done.

"Whatever tactics you play, if you can't pass a ball five yards then you are going to lose football matches.

"I don't feel the fans put them under any undue pressure. There is no excuse for not doing the simple things well.

"There was not a whole lot in that game. I am not sure Ranger meant the goal - it was either an unbelievable finish or unbelievably lucky, one of the two.

'INDIVIDUAL ERROR'

"And there was an individual error, when we were in the ascendancy and taking the game to them. That knocks the stuffing out of you.

"We played in front of their two banks of four and the boys lacked a bit of bravery when it came to the crunch.

"The sequence of play in the last kick of the game sums up our season. We hit the crossbar, missed from three yards and mis-kicked one."

SOUTHEND boss Phil Brown hailed the impact of striker Nile Ranger as his side moved up to seventh:

"Nile Ranger was toiling a wee bit and looked like he was pulling the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"Then he produced a moment of brilliance to put us in front and all that weight was lifted away.

"It was an easy decision to play him because Thursday was an optional day for training, but he came in and trained very well.

"The lads are looking after him. They support each other immensely on and off the field, which as a manager I really admire.

"We had a clean sheet mentality right to the end and fully deserved the three points.

"Our unbeaten run is well deserved by the players because their work rate is tremendous and very player does his job."