SHRIMPERS MAINTAIN DRIVE FOR PLAY-OFFS

DANNY WALDRON and Harry Cardwell’s second-half strikes were enough to give visiting Southend United a crucial win at Mill Farm.

After an eventful first half for the away side, it was Waldron who fired them into the lead after being left unmarked to guide a header into the back of the net from five yards out.

Cardwell then wrapped the game up with a brilliant header past Theo Richardson to give the Shrimpers a well-deserved three points.

In what was a quiet first period for the hosts, it was the away side who had the best chances.

Nathan Ralph did well to provide the first opportunity of the game when his run down the left-hand side resulted in a brilliant ball to Waldron but his flicked header sailed wide of the post.

It was Waldron again who could have given his side the lead in the 19th minute as Collin Andeng-Ndi’s goal-kick went all the way through to the striker.

Looking all but certain to score, he rounded goalkeeper Richardson and fired at the target, only to be denied by a brilliant goalline clearance by Adam Long.

The home side’s only real chance of the opening half came in the 25th minute where Owen Evans’ deflected strike smashed the bar.

Goal-kicks were becoming a problem for the Coasters as Waldron again was played in on goal and rolled the ball past Richardson only for the Fylde No.1 to claw the ball off the line.

Richardson was again tested late into the first half, making a superb save to deny Oli Coker, who had let fly from close range.

Southend’s constant pressure paid off seven minutes into the second half, with Harry Taylor’s cross finding Waldron who guided his header past Richardson to give the away side the advantage they craved.

Put simply, the Coasters just couldn’t handle the threat of Shrimpers man Waldron, with James Morton’s cross meeting the path of the striker minutes later only for him to poke the ball just wide of the post.

The hosts weren’t out of it, with Danny Ormerod meeting the end of a Jon Ustabasi cross having seen his strike blocked on the line by numerous bodies.

Southend’s relentlessness going forward then provided a second goal as Jack Bridge did brilliantly on the left-hand side to deliver the ball to Cardwell, who headed past Richardson. Ustabasi again looked a threat when on the counter, firing an effort at Andeng-Ndi who dealt with the strike well on what was generally a quiet afternoon for the visiting stopper.

The win means United’s play-off hopes remain alive and their fate may well be determined when they face Rochdale at Roots Hall on the final day of the regular season next Saturday.

Kevin Maher’s men sit one point off Halifax Town, who are seventh and in the final play-off place but play their game in hand against Ebbsfleet on Tuesday.