It was a massive relief – Southend boss Campbell celebrates first league win

Posted Sunday, January 19, 2020 by PA

Sol Campbell admitted it had been coming as he celebrated his first league victory in charge of Southend with a 2-1 win at Accrington.

The former Arsenal defender took over at Roots Hall in October with the Shrimpers deep in relegation trouble, with just one win to their name.

They had drawn four of their last five league games as Campbell turned their fortunes around and went one step further with a win at Accrington.

Southend opened the scoring after 11 minutes when Charlie Kelman rifled the ball home from 20 yards out.

Stanley equalised in the 17th minute when Sam Finley’s cross to the far post was met with a thumping header from Mark Hughes, which Dion Charles helped into the back of the net.

Southend won a penalty in the 51st minute when Joe Pritchard was judged to have clipped Brandon Goodship in the area and Jason Demetriou fired home the spot-kick.

“It was a massive relief,” said Campbell. “It has been a long time coming. We have been in some good positions and let a lead slip or not killed teams off but congratulations to the lads. They have all put in a great shift and it’s fantastic.

“We could have won by more at the end but I am not moaning, I am happy and we have got to enjoy it.

“We lost Stephen Humphrys this morning to illness and Charlie has come in and he has took his chance, it was a great goal and he led the line really well.

“Our keeper Mark Oxley has made some fantastic saves and some good decisions which gave confidence to the team.

“Everyone has put in a shift and it’s reward to the staff, players and fans, everyone is part of it. You keep hoping and wishing you are going to get that win and to do it, I am over the moon.

“There are still enough points left and as long as it’s mathematically possible, anything is possible. I am not giving up.”

John Coleman’s side were wasteful, with Oxley producing some superb saves, which included a Joe Pritchard effort cleared off the line. They have now lost three league games on the bounce.

“It is a crisis,” said Coleman. “We should have been 7-1 up at half-time but if you don’t take your chances you will get punished.

“We had enough chances to win four games and it’s not really well done to Southend because we have fluffed our lines and we have to regroup and go again.

“It was a penalty for them and when they got that they got their tails up when they should have been dead and buried. In the second half, we had around five good chances and we didn’t even work their keeper.

“It’s not good enough. In the first half we were breath-taking but couldn’t find the finishing touch and in the second half we were diabolical.

“We are in a relegation battle and we have got to knuckle down and improve or else we are going down.”