Southend United suffered a disappointing 0-2 defeat at Roots Hall against Scunthorpe United, in a match overseen by referee Elliott Swallow. A clinical second-half performance from the Iron secured them all three points, much to the frustration of the home supporters.
The first half was a cagey affair, with both sides struggling to create clear-cut chances. The midfield battle was intense, preventing either team from establishing any sustained dominance. The only notable incident in the first 45 minutes was a yellow card shown to Scunthorpe’s Will Evans in the 38th minute for a foul.
The deadlock was broken five minutes after the interval when Alfie Beestin found the back of the net to put Scunthorpe ahead. The visitors quickly doubled their advantage just five minutes later, Tyrell Sellars-Fleming, assisted by Callum Roberts, adding a second.
In response, Southend manager Kevin Maher made a double substitution in the 60th minute, introducing Keenan Appiah-Forson and James Morton in place of George Wind and Cavanagh Miley, the latter having been booked earlier. Scunthorpe then made a substitution of their own in the 62nd minute, with Declan Howe replacing Joey Dawson.
The Shrimpers continued to search for a way back into the match, introducing Jack Bridge and Slavi Spasov in the 71st minute for Oliver Coker and Tom Hopper. Just before this, in the 70th minute, Scunthorpe also made a double substitution, with Jean Belehouan replacing Sellars-Fleming, and Kian Scales coming on for Oliver Ewing. Scales would later receive a yellow card in added time.
As the game wore on, Southend’s frustration grew, and Harry Taylor was booked in the 95th minute for a foul. Scunthorpe made two late substitutions in the 90th minute, with Carlton Ubaezuonu replacing Callum Roberts and Branden Horton coming on for Beestin.
The final whistle confirmed Scunthorpe’s victory, a result that sees them climb further up the National League table. Southend, meanwhile, will need to regroup after failing to capitalise on their home advantage.
Following this result, Scunthorpe United now sit in 5th position with 22 points, having won 6 and drawn 4 of their 10 games, a disciplinary ruling adjusting their record with an extra win and a subtracted draw. Southend United, after 11 games, remain in 7th position with 18 points, having won 5, drawn 3, and lost 3. They will be looking to bounce back in their next fixture.