William Bewsey
3:43pm, Tue 19th Mar 2024
Southend United vs Woking
Vanarama National League
Saturday 23rd March 2024
15:00 Kick-Off
Woking are back on the road on Saturday when they travel to the Essex coast to take on Southend United.
Following Saturday’s victory over Barnet at the Laithwaite, it’s now four wins in five for Michael Doyle’s side, and scorer Kevin Berkoe did so on his full debut for the club following Josh Casey missing out due to injury.
Doyle will be hopeful that Casey among others will benefit from a clear week without a Tuesday night game, as others including recent signing Finn Delap, on loan from Burton Albion, could be considered for a start against the Shrimpers.
Opposition Watch
Despite their well documented financial issues at the start of the season for Kevin Maher and his Southend side, they are perfectly placed in mid-table, sitting 11th with an eight point gap between them and the drop zone, and a nine point gap between them and the final playoff place.
Without their ten point deduction for financial mismanagement under Ron Martin, they would be sitting 6th. As it is, Maher’s side can look forward to some stability next season in the National League under the stewardship of Aussie Justin Rees and his consortium.
On the pitch, Southend have built from the back; they have the best defensive record in the division with only 39 conceded. Former Woking loanee Harry Cardwell has been the talisman up top with 15 in 32 games, and could potentially be joined up front by another Woking loanee from last season in Marcus Dackers.
With their defence shining, one to watch for the Shrimpers is right back Gus Scott-Morriss. He’s scored six times this season, and his efforts from full back have seen him rewarded with another England C cap, the only player to be capped two years in a row.
Last Time Out
Both Cardwell and Scott-Morriss were on the scoresheet in early October of last year as Southend cruised to a 2-0 away win at the Laithwaite. The sides met three times in the 2022/23 season, with Woking winning in the FA Cup 4th qualifying round at the Laithwaite, goals from Padraig Amond and Ricky Korboa cancelling out Jake Hyde’s equaliser in October 2022.
Both league meetings last season finished 1-1, with Woking victorious by a 2-0 margin in October 2021 on their only other previous league visit to Roots Hall. The reverse fixture was a 3-2 win at the Laithwaite for Southend in February 2022 in front of the BT cameras, which leaves the head-to-head at two wins apiece with two draws after six meetings between the sides since the Shrimpers were relegated to the National League in 2021.
Around the Ground
Ticket information is available
here.
Woking have been allocated the Solopress North Bank, and tickets are £2 cheaper in advance.
The nearest railway station to Roots Hall is Prittlewell, located on the line between Liverpool Street and Southend Victoria.
The Cards Trust are also running a supporters’ coach, details are available
here.
