Altrincham 1-3 Southend United: The Shrimpers Come From Behind To Start The Dyer Era With A Win

A New Season Begins

Southend lined up with Joe Duncan in goal behind Vontae Daley-Campbell, Ben Goodliffe, David Cox and Kyle McAdam.

Anthony Hartigan sat deepest in midfield, with Darren Oldaker, Charley Kendall and Leon Chambers-Parillon ahead of him, while captain Oli Coker partnered Harry Cardwell in attack.

There had been plenty of discussion throughout the summer about what Kieron Dyer’s Southend might look like once the competitive football started.

Eight minutes into the new season, The Shrimpers were already being asked a question.

Altrincham started brightly and Liam Humbles was particularly lively in the early stages. A well-worked move released Aidan Barlow into space and, although Duncan got down well to keep out the initial effort, the loose ball fell invitingly for Crawford.

The Altrincham captain reacted quickest and squeezed his finish home from a tight angle.

Not quite the start Dyer would have drawn up.

The Shrimpers Grow Into It

Southend took a while to find their rhythm.

The hosts were moving the ball confidently and causing problems through Humbles, while Kosylo was heavily involved from right-back.

But gradually The Shrimpers started finding their way into the game.

Kyle McAdam had Southend’s first really presentable opening when Darren Oldaker helped create space for the left-back, but his effort rose over the bar.

That proved a warning.

Then, eight minutes before half-time, came the equaliser.

Chambers-Parillon Provides The Spark

Leon Chambers-Parillon received possession on the left and suddenly turned a relatively harmless-looking situation into a goal.

He drove inside, escaped his marker and opened up the shooting opportunity.

From around 20 yards, Chambers-Parillon drilled a low effort beyond Owen Evans and inside the post.

It was exactly what Southend needed.

Chambers-Parillon had shown flashes throughout pre-season of the threat he could provide, and on the opening afternoon of the league campaign he produced when it mattered.

Altrincham weren’t finished. Crawford came close to restoring their lead before the interval, first seeing an effort deflected narrowly wide before forcing Duncan into an excellent full-stretch save from distance.

But Southend survived.

Half-time: Altrincham 1-1 Southend United.

Captain Coker Turns It Around

The Shrimpers didn’t have to wait long.

Seven minutes after the restart, Altrincham goalkeeper Owen Evans hesitated in possession.

Harry Cardwell wasn’t interested in letting him get away with it.

The Southend striker closed him down, blocked the attempted clearance and regained possession before intelligently finding Coker.

With Evans stranded, the Southend captain kept his composure and rolled the ball into the exposed net.

From a goal down to a goal ahead.

And Coker’s first league goal as captain couldn’t have been much more useful.

It wasn’t a spectacular goal. It didn’t need to be.

Cardwell’s work created it and Coker finished it.

Dyer Changes The Shape Of The Game

Kieron Dyer made his first competitive changes shortly afterwards.

Sahid Kamara and Ryan Colclough replaced Anthony Hartigan and Charley Kendall in the 56th minute.

Both immediately injected some extra energy into Southend’s attacking play.

Colclough tested Evans before sending another dangerous ball across the face of goal, while Kamara increasingly became a problem on the right.

Altrincham weren’t out of the contest. Kosylo fired over after getting forward and the hosts appealed for a penalty when a bouncing ball struck Daley-Campbell inside the area.

Referee Zac Kennard-Kettle wasn’t interested.

Kosylo Sees Red

Then came the moment which changed Altrincham’s task considerably.

Matty Kosylo collected two yellow cards in quick succession.

The second followed a late challenge on Colclough near halfway.

Yellow. Red. Altrincham down to ten.

There were still 20 minutes remaining, but suddenly Southend had both the lead and the extra man.

The next challenge was making it count.

Coker saw an effort parried by Evans, Kamara’s follow-up was also kept out and Chambers-Parillon somehow couldn’t convert the loose ball.

Kamara Makes His Mark

One of the most encouraging aspects of the second half was Sahid Kamara’s introduction.

He gave Southend another dimension.

Quick, direct and willing to attack defenders, Kamara kept stretching an increasingly tired Altrincham side.

Daley-Campbell also became more adventurous from right-back and forced Evans into another save as Southend looked for the goal that would finally finish the contest.

With five minutes remaining, it arrived.

And Kamara was at the heart of it.

Ryan Colclough recovered possession and switched play before Kamara drove into space. The substitute spotted Cardwell’s run and slipped an excellent pass into his path.

Cardwell did the rest.

One touch to set himself, then a firm right-footed finish across goal and into the far corner.

Game over.

Cardwell Gets His Reward

Harry Cardwell’s goal was deserved.

He had already played a major role in Coker’s goal by forcing the mistake from Evans and setting up his captain. Now he had one of his own.

Strikers are judged on goals, but Cardwell’s contribution to this victory went beyond his 85th-minute finish.

His pressing helped create the second. His movement occupied the Altrincham defence. Then when his chance finally arrived, he took it.

A goal and an assist on opening day isn’t a bad afternoon’s work.

Lewys Twamley replaced him moments later, while Sam Austin and Josh Popoola were also introduced during the closing stages.

Southend comfortably negotiated what remained.

Full-Time: Altrincham 1-3 Southend United

Three goals.

Three points.

And the first victory of the Kieron Dyer era.

There are certainly things Southend will want to improve.

Altrincham were the better side during parts of the opening half-hour and were able to find too much space at times.

Humbles caused problems, Crawford repeatedly threatened from midfield and The Shrimpers had Duncan to thank for making sure the hosts didn’t regain the lead before half-time.

But football matches aren’t decided on who looked better after 25 minutes.

Southend stayed in the game. They found an equaliser. They punished a mistake. And once Altrincham went down to ten, they made sure the points were coming back to Essex.

That’s a pretty useful habit to develop.

The Bench Made A Difference

This is something worth remembering from opening day.

Southend’s substitutes didn’t simply run the clock down.

They changed the game.

Kamara was particularly effective, while Colclough gave The Shrimpers another attacking option immediately after coming on.

With a long National League season ahead, the ability to change matches from the bench could prove hugely important.

801 Reasons To Enjoy It

There were 801 Southend supporters among the 2,403 crowd at The J.Davidson Stadium.

Opening day. A long trip north. And more than a third of the attendance supporting the away team.

They saw Southend fall behind after eight minutes and then watched their side respond with three unanswered goals.

Not a bad reward for the journey.

Match Details

What We Learned

It would be ridiculous to make sweeping conclusions after one game.

But there were encouraging signs.

Southend reacted properly to going behind.

Chambers-Parillon offered real threat from the left.

Cardwell influenced the game both with and without the ball.

Coker marked his first league game as captain with a goal.

Duncan made saves when Southend needed him.

And the substitutes had an impact.

Most importantly, when an opportunity presented itself to win the match, Southend took it.