Joe is not told to go and buoys Shrimpers
SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown felt the Shrimpers benefitted from Millwall not being reduced to ten men at Roots Hall.
The Shrimpers secured their first home league win of the season with victory against the Lions.
But Brown felt the game could have gone differently had Millwall defender Joe Martin been shown a second yellow card after hauling down Southend striker David Mooney just before half-time.
“It was just unbelievable that he wasn’t sent off, especially as the referee put his hand in his pocket and then seemed to realise the player had already been booked,” said Brown.
“But it might have actually done us a favour in a way.
“Sometimes teams get galvanised when down to ten men and they would have sat in looking to hit us on the counter attack. But the way it went worked in our favour strangely enough because it brought a siege mentality to the crowd and they got on the referee’s back which made a change to it just being me.
“It’s obviously a big relief to get our first home league win because it’s been too long coming and I would struggle to name a man of the match because everyone was outstanding.”
Southend took the lead after just six minutes when Mooney fired home after being teed up by Jermaine McGlashan.
However, Millwall hit back to equalise in the 33rd minute with Aiden O’Brien poking the ball home from close range.
Visiting full-back Martin then had his lucky escape and was immediately substituted for Lee Gregory.
But Southend were on top after the break with Stephen McLaughlin netting from 18 yards in the 50th minute before Luke O’Neill fired home from a narrow angle three minutes from time.
And that left Millwall boss Neil Harris feeling frustrated on his return to his home-town club.
“Too many times when things aren’t going well for us we’re half a yard behind everyone else and that’s disappointing,” said former striker Harris.
“The most frustrating thing is we haven’t been outplayed or passed off the park they just had a workmanlike attitude about them which I’m not used to seeing my side get beat by.
“Southend were very direct and we have to be resilient.
“I’m used to seeing my team match teams and then use our quality but Southend were a handful to deal with at times and did a job on us out there.”