Hi all… Doug here, 
Coming through the turnstiles before the game, there were a stack of “50” cards “to be held up when we sing to celebrate Paul Scally’s 50th birthday. The guy in the kiosk didn’t seem too interested in handing them out either.
When my namesake Mr Hudson asked us all to join in singing “Happy Birthday Mr Chairman”, I had to carefully pick my way through the tumbleweed to my seat.
First Half
Injuries have not been kind to us over the past few seasons. It seems that no-one is immune as even our manager is sporting a limp. He looked to have injured his left leg. Rumours that it was a Hessenthaler tackle in training were completely unfounded.
The game started in a lively fashion. Neil Harris broke down the right to fire in a cross that was too high for Hislop arriving in the six yard area.
“How tall does he think he is?” exclaimed Ronnie.
Headers seemed to be the theme of the first half. Ronnie was berating Crofts for not attacking headers in the Southend area. Crofts responded with a peach, kept out athletically by the Southend keeper.
There was another break from our half; the ball is laid on a plate (hello cliché fans!) for Neil Harris. The bench are already up thinking it’s gone in. Harris manages to somehow miss the target completely. It was hands on head time!! Cliché fans would have known it was “harder to miss!”
Second Half
A few familiar faces were in the stand. The first two rows behind the dugouts are commonly inhabited by club scouts checking out potential purchases. On this occasion ex-Arsenal manager Stewart Houston was present. Over in block D however, was a bigger name. Times (and InsideEdge – Ed) columnist and Gills legend Tony Cascarino was there to watch a game. When Doug Hudson asked Big Cas to stand up to wave, everyone instinctively looked up to the director’s box guessing that was where he would be. Even the guys sitting in the row below him couldn’t spot him. Took time for everyone to realise where he was.
So started 45 minutes of frustrating football. The inconsistency of referee Paul Taylor’s whistle blowing was causing plenty of frustration for Neale. When one Southend player went to ground, he was fuming.
“He fookin’ slipped. How can he blow for that?” Neale had seen it exactly as we all had. The next free kick in a similar place, again a dubious call by the official, unfortunately resulted in a Southend goal.
Then a calamitous mix up between Jason Brown and Leon Johnson left an open goal and an easy chance for Southend to go two up. Both Ronnie and Neale were spitting feathers. Cries of “What the fook is he doing?”
The players’ heads were down. Flynny was still urging them on. It paid off with a goal back from Pouton with 5 minutes to go. When 5 further minutes went up on the board, Neale was up by the touchline sensing we could still get something from the game. Ashikodi and Jackman both had chances the secure a point for us, but it was not to be.
Yet another painful defeat from a game where we should have easily got something from it.
Well, let’s hope that this international break will let us get some of our players back fit. Then there will be no excuses!
Until next time against Yeovil
Doug…. Out!