It was a night of firsts at Roots Hall on Friday as Southend United continued their build up to the new season with an impressive friendly win over First Division Norwich City.
Scott Houghton netted his first Roots Hall goal, Mark Beard got on the scoresheet for the first time ever in a Shrimpers shirt and Blues boss Alan Little finally picked up his first triumph on home soil.
Delighted Seasiders chief Little, who had failed to win any one of his previous four Roots Hall matches, purred with delight after watching his side's stirring performance.
"I thought we looked very strong and fully deserved this result," said Little, who had seen his men lose 1-0 at Millwall and 4-1 at non-leaguers Gravesend and Northfleet in their previous warm-up outings.
"We've been working on our shape for the first time in training this week, concentrating on attacking and defensive play, and I think it showed against Norwich.
"They are a quality side and at the start of the game they put us under a lot of pressure, which we contained, before going on to win the match with a solid display.
"Maintaining this shape will be the key to us picking up points in the Third Division this season."
Norwich, inspired by French midfield trialist Jean Eyves Blassis, controlled the game straight from the kick-off and would not allow Blues a touch of the ball as they pushed and probed for an opening around Southend's penalty box.
However, the Shrimpers' sponge-like defence, marshalled expertly by skipper Simon Coleman and the powerful Leo Roget, soaked up the pressure and gradually began to take the early wind out of the visitors' sails.
In fact, it was the Seasiders who nearly opened the scoring after just ten minutes when makeshift striker David Morley, a centre-half by trade, flicked the ball onto David Whyte, whose first time volley was brilliantly saved by Canaries keeper Andy Marshall.
Southend got it right on the half-hour mark though, when they scored a goal of the highest quality.
In a classic counter attack the tigerish Beard and his revitalised midfield partner Kevin Maher broke up a Norwich offensive on the edge of their own box before finding Houghton, who carried the ball from the half-way line and curled home a shot in spectacular fashion from 20-yards.
Lifted by the goal, Southend came out for the second-half in confident mood and it was not long before they threatened to double their advantage as Morley's looping header flew inches over the bar.
Iwan Roberts and Nor-wegian full-back Erik Fug-lestad tried long-distance efforts for the visitors, but it was Blues who extended their lead on 58 minutes.
Maher's pass put substitute striker Neville Roach away down the left-channel and his low cross was only half-cleared by Canaries defender Matt Jackson into the path of man-of-the-match Beard, who gratefully drilled the ball over the line from close range.
However, Norwich pulled a goal back in fortunate circumstances when another Shrimpers substitute, full-back Gary Cross, was harshly penalised on the edge of the box seven minutes from time.
Cross, playing at left-back, looked to have made an excellently executed tackle on Norwich's £5m-rated Welsh international hitman Craig Bellamy, which saw the Tottenham target stretchered off with a suspected leg fracture.
Billericay referee Andy D'Urso awarded a free-kick against Cross which was headed home at the far-post by Norwich defender Malky Mackay, much to the anger of Blues' ex-Norwich defender Rob Newman, who received a rousing reception from the visitors' fans.
Southend, not to be outdone, nearly scored a third time in the dieing minutes when right-winger Gordon Connelly, making his home debut, fired over another dangerous cross which substitute Nathan Jones hit goalward, only for his effort to be blocked on the line.
Southend striker Barry Conlon has officially joined York City for £100,000 on a three-year deal.
Southend: Capleton, Booty, Houghton (Cross), Roget (Perkins), Coleman (Newman), Connelly, Beard (Johnson), Maher (Livett), Clarke (Jones), Morley (Abiodun), Whyte (Roach).
Norwich: A.Marshall (Green), Sutch (Wilson), Fuglestad (Llewellyn), Blassis (Carey), Fleming (Russell), Jackson (L.Marshall), Bellamy, Roberts (Dalglish), Mulryne (Anselin), Eadie, Mackay.
Attendance: 2,157.
Applying the pressure - David Whyte takes on the Norwich defence
Picture: DAVE MONTIER
Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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