Alan Little expects nothing less than a victory from his Southend United team when they travel to Canvey Island for tonight's Thames-side Trophy semi-final.

Non-league Canvey are the current holders of the competition and Blues will be sending a mixture of first team and youth players to Park Lane as they attempt to wrestle the trophy out of the Islanders' grip.

"When you play the game of football you play it to win and that is what I expect us to do at Canvey tonight," said Little.

"We want to book our place in the final of this competition and to do that we have to go into this match with the right attitude."

However, the Shrimpers boss is under no illusion as to the size of the task his side face as they take on the newly crowned Ryman Division One champions in their own back-yard.

"I watched Canvey beat Leyton Orient in the Essex Senior Cup final at Roots Hall last week and they looked a more than useful team," Little added.

"They are a good footballing side and I'm sure they'll be well up for this game because there will be local pride at stake, so it will be anything but easy.

"In addition Canvey have a heavy sprinkling of ex-Southend players in their ranks and I'm sure they'll be desperate to prove a point or two tonight."

Blues fans will get a chance to say "auf weidersehen" to German midfielder Lars Unger, who is expected to make his last appearance in a Southend shirt tonight before returning home, at Park Lane.

Fellow first-teamers Barry Conlon, Trevor Fitzpatrick, Adrian Clarke, Steve McGavin, Keith Dublin and Leo Roget, are also in the Seasiders' line-up as is assistant manager Mick Gooding and current Player of the Year Julian Hails, who will be continuing his rehabilitation from a knee injury.

Young keeper Steve Spittle is expected to play in goal, but could be forced to drop out with a back injury, which would see first team stopper Mel Capleton, who enjoyed a long loan spell at Canvey earlier this season, deputise.

This evening's match, which kicks-off at 7.30pm, must be finished on the night and there will be extra time, followed by penalties, if both sides are still all square after 90 minutes.

Ryman Division Three champions Ford United already await the winners in the final, which will be played at their Rushgreen home next Monday night.

Southend (from): Spittle, Hails, Cross, Roget, Dublin, Perkins, McDonald, Gooding, Johnson, Hunter, Kerrigan, Unger, Clarke, McGavin, Conlon, Fitzpatrick, Capleton.

Junior Blues have switched their weekly training venue to Boots and Laces, in Eastern Avenue. They kick-off at their new home tonight at 6pm.

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