STALEMATE FRUSTRATES SHRIMPERS BOSS KEV

SOUTHEND United boss Kevin Maher admitted his side were below their best in Saturday’s goalless drab draw with Woking.

The Shrimpers took a share of the spoils from an uneventful encounter at Roots Hall.

And Maher was disappointed with the display in his first game since being awarded the Freedom of the City.

“It’s 90 minutes we’re not going to get back isn’t it,” said Maher.

“We have standards we want to keep to, especially with the ball and we were nowhere near them today.

“It was scrappy and there was no flow to us.

“There was nothing in the game and both teams take a point and move on.”

Both sides struggled to create clear cut chances during a poor encounter.

And Maher wanted the Shrimpers to be better on the ball.

“The performance as a whole wasn’t good enough and we want to be better but on the positive side, it’s a point and a clean sheet,” said Maher.

“The run keeps going too but we were giving the ball away too cheaply and going too long.

“We wanted someone to get hold of with a bit of composure and get some passes together to open the game up but it wasn’t to be.”

And that eventually led to the Shrimpers picking up another draw.

“Sometimes you just have to take a point and move on,” said Maher. “I can’t fault the lads for effort and they put their bodies on the line when they had to defend in the box.

“But we’ve got to be better on the ball to be more like us.”

After a quiet start to the game, Southend registered a shot on target when a long throw from Adam Crowther dropped down into the path of Nathan Ralph whose right footed shot was parried away by Woking goalkeeper Will Jaaskelainen.

The hosts replied just before the break with Jermaine Anderson sending a low shot straight at Shrimpers custodian Collin Andeng Ndi.

At the start of the second, Noor Husin fired over from just outside the penalty area before the Cards threatened with Andeng Ndi rushing out to block a shot from Jayden Luker after the midfielder had won the ball off Crowther in the box.

Dan Moss then fired wide of the right post for the visitors before Woking substitute Lee Angol sent a shot straight at Andeng Ndi from the right hand side of the penalty area.

Shrimpers substitute Oli Coker then saw a goalbound effort blocked in the final action of a disappointing game.

The share of the spoils made it ten games unbeaten for Southend who dropped to 11th in the table.

Michael Doyle’s Woking are now 15th in the table, four points above the relegation zone ahead of their Good Friday clash with Eastleigh.

STAR MAN: Nathan Ralph (Southend United) ATT: 7,251 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: Richard Eley