Phil can’t watch his spot-on Shrimpers
SOUTHEND banished their penalty hoodoo at last to comfortably beat Oldham at Roots Hall.
The Shrimpers had missed four of their last five spot-kicks before Jason Demetriou fired them in front with a well-taken penalty.
But Southend boss Phil Brown was unable to watch the full-back step up to score.
“I couldn’t watch the penalty because I’m sick to death of seeing us miss them,” said Brown.
“I just watched the crowd instead and saw their reaction which had told me it had gone in.
“It was a nice feeling and it’s a very pleasing win for us.
“If we had not won then the gap to the top six might have been too big for us to bridge.
“But we’ve jumped a few places and psychologically that helps everyone.”
Josh Wright sealed the Shrimpers’ win with a well-taken volley in the second half but only after the Latics had failed to score a penalty of their own.
Craig Davies saw his spot-kick on the stroke of half-time superbly tipped over by Southend goalkeeper Mark Oxley.
But Brown felt Demetriou hadn’t actually fouled Rob Hunt.
“There was no doubt about our penalty but I wasn’t too sure about their one,” said Brown.
“Sometimes you wonder whether they are looking to level things up but it shouldn’t be like that.”
Demetriou’s 17thminute spot-kick came after Cameron Dummigan had fouled Wright but the Cypriot was then adjudged to have fouled Hunt four minutes before the break, although Davies was impressively denied.
Southend made the most of the let off by doubling their lead in on 54 minutes when Wright volleyed home Stephen McLaughlin’s left-wing cross.
Oldham were unable to get back in the game, with Eoin Doyle missing two headers late on, and Latics boss Richie Wellens had no complaints in defeat. “It was very disappointing,” he said.
“Southend didn’t get out their half for the first five minutes and from there I think the players thought it would be easy.
“Southend went long into the channels with possession football after that and we didn’t compete well enough.
“We had three or four good chances but in all honesty it’s the first time we’ve not deserved anything from the game since I’ve been manager at the club.”