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Southend 1
Miles (pen) 72
Basildon 10
Coulson 9, 30, 80
Pettit 13, 38
Jones 20, 39
Slaven 48, 61
own goal 55
Many a person from the region of Basildon have gone down Southend for a sunday afternoon stroll, but this topped all that.
PHFC ventured once again into Southend teritory to face the might of Argos Southend Airport. Last time they visited back
in september they were arriving into the unknown, this time they returned looking to defend their egg cup more commonly known
as the Whizz Kids Cup. So much was promised by the Airport store, 'a better team', 'better players' and talk of revenge. PHFC
were certainly in for a suprise.
The game started at a frantic pace, Southend were defending well but PHFC had the lionshare of possesion, and it was no
suprise wen 9minutes in Jamie Coulson opened the scoring. Damian Pettit, making his second start for PHFC, used great strength
to muscle his way through with the aid of a lucky bounce before releasing Coulson who drilled the ball across the face of
the goal. The second goal came shortly after, Lee Jones picked the ball up wide on the right and floated a cross/shot that
the keeper dropped on the goal line, straight to Damian Pettit who opened his PHFC account with a simple tap-in. PHFC were
now running the show and Serowka and Slaven both missed chances to increase the lead. Jones them made it 3v0, Coulson was
released one on one with the goaly but his final touch was two heavy, the keeper cleared straight to Jones who drilled home
from 20yards. Coulson nearly made it 4v0 but was denyed by a world class save which was touched on to the post. Infact it
was Coulson who did make it 4v0 when Jones set him free, he took one touch, spotted the keeper off his line and chipped it
in from 25yards. Southend did have chances, Rob Harlow was forced into a fine save on his near post after a corner wasn't
cleared properly. With the clock ticking down to half time, PHFC increased their lead to 5v0 with two minutes of the half
remaining. Jones spread the ball wide to Serowka who volleyed the cross in first time, the ball was controlled by Burnett
who layed it off to Pettit on the edge of the box who showed super control to beat his man and tuck the ball into the corner
of the net. Southend were now playing for half time and this showed when sloppy defending allowed Serowka to release the impressive
Jones who tucked the ball home to make it 6v0 with the last kick of the half.
So, your 6v0 down at half time, what do you do in the second half, do you sit back and defend, concede defeat but try
n keep the score down, or do you go all out attack, figure that if your gonna lose you might aswell get a consolation? Well
Southend went with the attacking option and it almost worked minutes into the second half when Harlow was forced into another
low save. Southend were alot more organised in the opening stages of this half and could argue had the better chances. But
chances does'nt always equal goals and this was highlighted when Jones broke away against the run of play, chipped the ball
into the box from 30yards and watched as Southend went about heading the ball into their own goal to make it 7v0. Coulson
had a shout for the goal but replays showed it was Mitch, the scorer the last time these two sides met, who got the last touch.
This woke up PHFC who realised double figures was on the cards, and Slaven made it 8v0 with a fantastic chip from wide left
which even the goalkeeper had to applaud. Chances continued to crop up, Serowka twice could of opened his PHFC account, firstly
when Coulson set him through one on one, and then when Burnett's shot fell into his path, both times he was denied by the
on-rushing goalkeeper. Robin Linham, on as a half time sub for Damian Pettit, went close with an overhead volley, the keeper
getting down well to save. With around 15minutes left Slaven and Linham combined for Kris to grab his second goal of the game,
the one two from out wide left which left a gapping gap and Slaven fired home to make it 9v0. With 9minutes left Southend
won a corner, a scramble in the box saw a shot saved on the line by the outstretched arm of right back Dave Anderson. Anderson
was lucky not to see red but Southend grabbed their consolation when Paul Miles fired the ball low past Harlow from the penalty
spot. With seconds left Jones freed Coulson who tucked the ball away to make it 10v1 and complete his hat-trick.
The Whizz Kids Trophey is on its way back to its home in Basildon, and Southend Airport will be wondering if they will
ever get their hands on the silverware.
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