Southend United 3 - 2 Walsall: Southend see off Saddlers with stunning second-half comeback success

Posted Sunday, March 19, 2017 by PA

Southend United staged a stunning second-half fight-back to see off Walsall 3-2 in a thrilling encounter at Roots Hall

The Shrimpers seemed to heading for defeat when their former midfielder Franck Moussa fired the Saddlers into a 2-0 lead.

But goals from Nile Ranger, Anton Ferdinand and Simon Cox saw Southend pick up all three points to move into the Sky Bet League One play-off places.

Substitute Moussa fired Walsall into an 18th-minute lead with a neat finish from Joe Edwards' left-wing cross and then doubled the visitors lead with another clever finish after a poor clearance from Ryan Inniss.

However, Southend got back into the game in the 63rd minute with Ranger heading home Will Atkinson's left-wing cross following a quickly-taken Ben Coker free-kick.

The Shrimpers then drew back level in the 76th minute when skipper Ferdinand volleyed home from 12 yards after Anthony Wordsworth's free-kick had only been half cleared.

And Southend completed their come-back seven minutes from time when Cox curled a 20-yard free-kick into the top left-hand corner of the net.