In a dramatic conclusion at St. James Park, Southend United secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Brackley Town. The scoreline, however, belies the tense, attritional nature of the preceding eighty minutes, with all three goals arriving in the final stages of the second half.
For the vast majority of the encounter, both sides struggled to assert dominance. The first half was a cagey affair, with Brackley Town demonstrating commendable defensive organisation and frustrating Southend’s attacking endeavours. Clear-cut chances were few and far between, and the midfield battle was fierce, resulting in a number of cautions. Josh Walker of Southend United and Matt Lowe for Brackley Town were booked for fouls in the first half, signalling the combative nature of the contest.
The second half continued in a similar vein, with neither team able to break the deadlock. Brackley Town made tactical adjustments, introducing Ryan Haynes in place of Byron Pendleton and later Zak Brown for Kian Harratt in an attempt to inject some fresh impetus. However, these changes failed to unlock the Southend defence.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 81st minute. Southend United, having introduced Tom Hopper and Charley Kendall from the bench in the 77th minute, found their cutting edge. Hopper, a substitute, found the net, with Kendall, another substitute who had entered the fray minutes earlier, providing the assist. This goal visibly deflated the home side and galvanised the visitors.
The complexion of the match then shifted dramatically in the dying moments. In the 90th minute, Brackley Town suffered a cruel blow as Kyle Morrison inadvertently put the ball into his own net, doubling Southend’s advantage and effectively ending the contest.
The scoring was rounded off in the 92nd minute, deep into stoppage time. Gus Scott-Morriss added a third for Southend United, once again assisted by the lively substitute Charley Kendall. This late flourish sealed a comprehensive victory for the Shrimpers.
The result sees Southend United solidify their position in the upper echelons of the English National League, maintaining their challenge for promotion. They currently sit in seventh place with 52 points from 30 games. Brackley Town, meanwhile, remain in mid-table obscurity, occupying 16th position with 36 points from 31 matches, and will be disappointed with their inability to convert their early defensive solidity into offensive threat.
