SOUTHEND are up to fourth in National league Two after a 42-32 victory over Lydney at Warner’s Bridge on Saturday.
Southend opened proceedings by gifting Lydney a try in the first minute when their fullback Martin Knight joined the line and broke through five attempted tackles to go in under the posts.
The conversion from Craig Jones followed and Southend had yet again conceded points in the first few minutes of the game.
It didn’t seem to put them off though and they were soon mounting attacks of their own, Andrew Frost, this week at full back, made a run down the left flank but was bundled into touch short of the line.
Southend turned the ball over from the resulting line out and moved the ball swiftly across the field to Mark Billings, who ran on and scored a try in the corner, the conversion attempt failed and so with four minute gone the score was 5 – 7 to Lydney. Ten minutes later they scored again when number Eight Matt Taylor forced his way over, Jones again converted and Southend trailed 5 – 14. Southend upped the tempo and increased the pressure, scoring two tries of their own over the next ten minutes.
First Danny Cleare sped through and scored and then Rhys Powell with a typical cheeky scrum half effort.
A quick tap penalty from close in and a dive through the legs to touch down. Frost, uncharacteristically only converted one of them but Southend had gained the lead at 17 – 14.
Both sides then exchanged successful penalty kicks, two for Lydney and one for Southend with Southend's Dan Johnson yellow carded as the result of one of them. So the half drew to a close with the score at 20 – 20.
Southend came out for the second half and as so often before this season, stepped up another gear. First Captain Chris Green raced over, followed shortly after by Danny Cleare for his second try of the afternoon.
Frost added both conversions and a further penalty and with only fifteen minutes of the second half gone they had moved into a convincing lead at 37 – 20.
Lydney did come back with another smartly taken try from Martin Knight but order was immediately restored when Chris Vaughan scored Southend sixth try of the match. Lydney were gifted a bonus point from another try of their own when Daniel Freeman intercepted a short pass and raced eighty yards down the field. Jones converted and the score moved to more respectable 42 – 32.
Southend will travel to Barking on Saturday in a confident mood, kick off at 2pm.