FL2: Torquay v Southend 19 Feb 2011

Well that’s another five gruelling, long and physically demanding working days I have completed. Do this government really feel I should have to work one more year longer now? I left school at fifteen years old and have already completed 41 years of hard labour that’s probably going to take me to an early grave.

Still at least I’m allowed to have two days a week in my life free from work where I can do the things that give me pleasure and somehow make up for those five bloody days of toil and sweat. Mind you deciding to go to Plainmoor looking for that required pleasure does mean I might not always find it, but at least I know there are times when I will.

Times when I have been able to say I was there for that match and what a match it was. That’s the thing isn’t it? We decided not to go and then learn it was a really cracking match and then we start wishing we had gone after all.

Why take that risk I say, if you can get up to Plainmoor for this match then do so, don’t let it be a game you end up regretting not going to.

This is a massive six pointer and a massive game in our push to reach the play-offs, yes I said play-offs and NOT to avoid relegation, how good does that feel being able to say that? It feels good because we are doing so well when you take into consideration all that is stacked against our small seaside town club that we thankfully happen to love.

I suppose we can be considered to be a team in form after our last three wins on the trot and so is Paul Sturrock's Southend side that come to Plainmoor on the back of four successive previous away victories

It’s always felt best not to change a winning side and in today’s Herald Express, Paul Buckle had this to say



"You've got to look at how well Mark has done this season," said Buckle. "It's his first full season and he's needed a rest. Scott’s the same; he hasn't played that many games on the spin in his career so it was a welcome rest for the pair of them. They will have to be ready because they will have to be called upon again — the games are only going to get bigger.

It is a testament to the squad that Danny Potter can come in and perform like he did, and that Chris Robertson can switch to centre-half and do such a good job.Everybody is fighting fit, and I don't foresee too many changes to the team.I think that, when a team is winning, you have got to be very careful to change it. The players have earned the right to keep the shirt."

The only change I think Bucks might make is to start Nico, I feel we just might need his greater experience and also he does have more to offer (IE throw-ins and free kicks) than Rowe-Turner, who has done well for us in the two starts he has had.

I have always believed the best form of defence is attack and that is what I hope we do as soon as the ref blows his whistle, we have the players who can score goals and we need to have them playing as high up the pitch as possible.

It’s a bit hard to tell if our defence is much better for the recent changes as they have not had a great deal to do in the last three matches we have played. But they have looked very solid and my only concern is that they might give away needless free kicks in dangerous areas. Robo sure likes to grab hold of players shirts and that is something he needs to get out the habit doing.

I expect Danny Potter who looks likely to start in goal, is going to find himself a whole lot busier than he has been in recent games, it will be a good test for him and I’m sure he will be more than up to it.

No defenders like having speedy players running at them and we now have such players who can do just that and create space to fire shots in on goal. That I feel may be the key to us winning this game and that is what I hope we will be doing.

I would hope the gate goes over the 2000 mark, I’m going for a gate around 2300 and while that is still much lower than our club deserve, it will be an improvement on recent gates.

We always seem to be able to raise our game when we play teams we might be expected to lose against; some might see this as one of those sorts of games. I feel very confident that come 5.45pm tomorrow night, we will have another three points; I am however, expecting the last part of the game to be a very nail biting experience. But Hey, that’s normal is it not up at Plainmoor?

news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southend_utd/default.stm
jeez and i thought things were a bit sticky for us,this is frightening for a club southends size

I would love to and would do it gladly for you, only I have not yet worked out the formula needed for horse racing

The Bay has had plenty of over night very heavy rain and it’s a good job it has stopped, or today’s game may have been in danger of being called off, I understand there were concerns that might have happened for the Tuesday night Burton match.

The sun is out this morning and there is a slight breeze blowing that has a few stronger gusts every now and then. I expect the pitch might be a bit heavy again as it was on Tuesday night.

Perfect day for a game of football, perfect day to go and support a well run local club that needs more support than its getting, Lets see if we can put a big smile back on the faces of those who dug so deep in their own pockets, so that we do have a game to go and watch today

Sometimes I wish I lived in Paignton where I grew up instead of Bideford. What a luxury to be living in Torbay and so close to the ground, something I havn't experienced in since I was 16 and I'm 53 now.
Closest I have ever been is Plymouth but even North Devon is closer than Penzance from where I regularly commuted to watch home games in my twenties.
Thought that I might be going again today as was expecting my boys local game to be called off due to the weather in Barnstaple.
Sure enough it has been but the game has been swithed to the opposition so its a trip to Woolsery for me as I cannot really justify the best part of another tank of petrol - which I will save for the Rotherham game.

Woolfardisworthy aka Woolsery. In the wildest part of North Devon where the trees grow at crazy angles and inland from Clovelly. I wouldn't put it on your list of places to visit Aussie! ;D