Imps provide final game before LDV Final


By Nathan Jackson
March 16 2004

The Imps will tonight entertain Southend in their last game before the Shrimpers travel to Cardiff on Sunday for the final of the LDV Vans Trophy against Blackpool. However, the Imps are in no mood to make it the perfect beginning to an exciting week for the essex side.

  • INTRODUCTION
  • The Imps and the Shrimps have met each other twice this season, both at Roots Hall with very different results. In the league game in September, the Imps secured their first away win of the season which is seen by many as the turning point of the season. However, just under 3 months later, the Imps travelled their in the FA Cup and the essex side breezed by the Imps with an impressive 3-0 victory.
  • IMPS TEAM NEWS
  • The Imps welcome back Ben Futcher after a 2 match ban and Jamie McCombe is expected to push out to the right as Mark Bailey is injured. Kevin Sandwith could get his first Imps start.
  • SINCE WE LAST MET
  • When the Imps travelled to the Shrimps in December, they were REALLY struggling in the league and rarely won. However, since then results have picked up and they have only lost 4 of the last 17 games which has seen them pull away from the drop zone and they currently sit 9 points ahead of 23rd placed Macclesfield Town. On their travels, Southend have done better than their rivals having won 5 of their 18 so far. The most impressive of those being 3-2 at Swansea after finishing with 8 men on the pitch.
  • LAST 5 RESULTS AGAINST SOUTHEND (MOST RECENT FIRST)
  • SOUTHEND 3 CITY 0 (FA CUP)
  • SOUTHEND 0 CITY 2
  • SOUTHEND 0 CITY 1
  • CITY 2 SOUTHEND 1
  • CITY 0 SOUTHEND 1
  • PREDICTIONS
  • I have an odd feeling about this game because the Imps often struggle against teams in the bottom half, if the Imps are to win, I feel we must keep a clean sheet otherwise it could be a let down for the Imps who can move upto 6th if we win because Yeovil are at home to Doncaster.
  • PREDICITON
  • CITY 2 SOUTHEND 0