Match views . . . Southend

John Sheridan

JOHN Sheridan was upset with the way his side's challenge melted away late on after playing well in the opening 45 minutes at Roots Hall:

"We played well in the first half, but then I'm not looking at that. We can't just play for 45 minutes. You think the sending off is going to help us, but it didn't.

"It galvanised them and they have ended up winning the game 3-0. I didn't see it coming, but it has and I thought we were poor and didn't really get going in the second half.

"The game was there if we wanted it, but we have lost it in a poor manner. Against 10 men you expect us to be on the front foot more. But I don't want to beat myself up too much.

"We have five games left and we have to focus on those and be ready for them. I'm disappointed because I haven't seen this too much since I've been back.

"I thought we were good in the first half, but we've ended up losing 3-0. We don't work the goalkeeper enough.

"You have to punish and be clinical, but whoever I play upfront, we just aren't clinical enough. We get the odd goal here or there, but we just aren't clinical enough.

"The first goal was ridiculous from us. How we allow a ball get into the striker's body in the penalty box is beyond me.

"How he (Nile Ranger) is in five yards of space to tap it in as well is beyond me. Players make their decisions on the pitch. I can only point it out, but they have got to make the right decisions at the right time.

'DIFFICULT'

"It's going to be difficult now.

"We are right in the mix, but I have got to get this out of the way and we move on.

"We have two tough home games (Fleetwood and Bolton), but we need to show and perform, which we have done at home, and hopefully get points from both games."

SOUTHEND boss Phil Brown was delighted with the way his side coped with the adversity of going down to 10 men:

"It was a strange old day and to win it being down to 10 men is perfect.

"If we had gone 3-0 up and then got the red card then it wouldn't have been a statement, but this really is.

"Hats off to the players for what they've done, including the substitutes who played a massive part when they came on.

"I thought the first 45 minutes were dire if I'm honest.

"I said to the players that I was bored at half-time so imagine how the fans are feeling, but we got there in the end.

"We needed something to spark us and it happened with the red card.

"I thought there was only one team trying to win the game all afternoon and when we went down to 10 men it caused Oldham a problem.

"They weren't trying to win the game, but then had an opportunity to do so with an extra man.

"But they didn't change gear and consequently we got three goals."