Veteran Southend United defender Rob Newman was all set for a first-team recall at Torquay United this afternoon by Blues boss Alan Little.

The Shrimpers chief has turned to the 36-year-old stopper to cure his side's terminal defensive problems, which has seen the Seasiders' shaky rearguard ship 12 goals in their last five league games.

It is a record which is among the worst in the Third Division and needs to be resolved quickly if 13th-placed Blues are to get their floundering promotion dream back on track.

"Rob is fit and hungry and the time has come for him to play," said Little, who has never given the former Norwich City defender a first-team start during his eight-month reign in the Roots Hall hotseat.

"We have been conceding far too many goals recently, which is down to a lack of talking, experience and organisation within our rearguard, which are all qualities Rob can bring to our defence.

"It's no secret that I've been searching for a new defender during the last couple of weeks, but now Rob has the chance to show me that I've already got the man I need at Roots Hall to fill this gap, following his return from injury."

Blues make the long trek to Devon, for a 3pm kick-off, hoping to end the millennium with a win, after failing to achieve a league success in their previous eight fixtures.

The Shrimpers took a point from their 2-2 Boxing Day clash with Northampton Town at Roots Hall, thanks to second-half strikes from Martin Carruthers and Neil Tolson.

Now Blues will be gunning for revenge against their seventh-positioned hosts at Plainmoor, who dumped the Seasiders out of the FA Cup at the first-round stage 1-0 in October, following an inspired performance from former Southend keeper Neville Southall.

"We were hard done by at Torquay in the cup and we'll be expecting some reward for our efforts today," added Little.

"Big Nev was the difference between the two sides during the last encounter, pulling off three brilliant point-blank saves, but if we get the same chances this afternoon we'll need to take them."

Torquay, who are six points ahead of Southend in the league table, celebrated Boxing Day with a 2-2 derby draw at Plymouth Argyle, but will be desperate to consolidate their place among the division's pace-setters with a triumph over Blues.

Defender David Morley (hamstring) definitely misses the trip to the West Country as do flu victims, fellow-stopper Leo Roget, midfielder Julian Hails and forward Neville Roach.

Right-winger Gordon Connelly is rated 50-50 with hamstring trouble and loan midfield signing from Aberdeen Nigel Pepper has a slight ankle knock, but is expected to play. Wideman Adrian Clarke and young full-back Garry Cross have been added to Blues' travelling party.

Southend (from): Prudhoe, Beard, Jones, Booty, Coleman, Newman, Tinkler, Pepper, Tolson, Carruthers, Houghton, Maher, Camp-bell, Clarke, Cross, Connelly, Capleton.

It takes two to tangle - Martyn Booty gets a tackle in against a Northampton player during Sunday's 2-2 draw at Roots Hall

Picture: STEPHEN LLOYD

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