Campbell left frustrated as wait for first win as Southend boss continues
Posted Friday, December 27, 2019 by PA
Southend manager Sol Campbell saw his side fight back twice to secure a 2-2 draw with MK Dons but was left feeling frustrated.
The Roots Hall stalemate kept the Shrimpers second from bottom in the Sky Bet League One standings and 12 points from safety.
And Campbell was disappointed to not claim his first league win as Southend boss.
“We had to show fantastic character to get back into the game and I like to see that but we had more than enough to win the game and that’s the most frustrating thing,” said Campbell, who has been in charge for nine games.
“We’ve been moving in the right direction but we just need to get over the line in the final third.
“Their keeper has had a worldy, he made some good saves but so did our keeper. If they had our chances they would have won the game.
“We are playing better and we’re more solid here and there but there are lapses of concentration in both boxes. We could easily have ended up losing the game.”
Dons took the lead after just 13 minutes when a low cross from Connor McGrandles found Joe Mason free at the far post to fire home the 100th goal that the Shrimpers have conceded in 2019.
However, Southend hit back to equalise in the 32nd minute with Jason Demetriou rolling in a penalty into the bottom corner after Stephen Humphrys had been brought down by Dons goalkeeper Lee Nicholls.
Shrimpers striker Tom Hopper fired a glorious chance wide of the target at the start of the second half before Rhys Healey put the Dons back in front in the 64th minute when he deflected Mark Oxley’s save into the back of the net.
Two minutes later, Southend’s Rob Kiernan headed home Sam Mantom’s corner for his first goal of the season before Humphrys saw a close-range header blocked by Nicholls. However, the draw keeps both teams in the bottom three.
MK Dons boss Russell Martin was unhappy with his side’s display.
“It’s a point better off than we were but I’m not really happy with how we got it,” said Martin.
“In the first half we got the goal but gave them a penalty which was a rubbish way to concede.
“They’ve had nothing until that point. We got ahead again with a training ground move we’ve worked on, but then we give them another one.
“It was difficult in the second half, we were far too open and looked like conceding far more than we have done recently.
“We needed to dig in and do the basics and defend our box, but we gave them another terrible goal.”
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