Southend United 3–2 Braintree Town

Dallas Double and Coker Screamer Seal Good Friday Thriller at Roots Hall

Roots Hall doesn’t do quiet afternoons. What looked like a comfortable Good Friday cruise turned into a late panic, but Southend United held on to beat Braintree Town 3–2 and strengthen our grip on the play-off places.

For an hour, Blues were in total control. For the final 20 minutes, we were clinging on. But the job got done — and that’s all that matters in April.

Fast Start, Fast Hands, Fast Feet

Braintree carved out the first big chance, with Massiah-Edwards bursting through and forcing Collin Andeng-Ndi into a brilliant fingertip save. A huge moment — because two minutes later, we were ahead.

Just like the Yeovil game, it was a rebound special. Gubbins whipped in a cross, Scott-Morriss thundered a header off the bar, and Andy Dallas reacted first to poke home. Four minutes gone, 1–0, Roots Hall bouncing.

We nearly doubled it instantly. Coker switched play beautifully to Boyes, who smashed one that Terry had to beat away. Austin then curled one against the post after a poor clearance — the pressure was relentless — and the second goal finally arrived on 33 minutes.

Austin slipped Dallas through with a perfectly weighted pass, and the Scotsman stayed ice-cold, sliding the ball through Terry’s legs for his second of the afternoon and his 15th of the season.

Coker Crashes In a Third

Dallas should’ve had his hat-trick five minutes into the second half — a brilliant Coker cross, a good header, and somehow Terry twisted mid-air to save with his legs.

But we didn’t have to wait long for the third. Coker picked up the ball 25 yards out, let fly, and a deflection off Drake wrong-footed the keeper and nestled into the bottom corner. His first goal of 2026 — and fully deserved.

Here Come the Nerves…

Braintree hadn’t offered much, but a deflected Ryan Battrum strike looped over Andeng-Ndi to make it 3–1 and suddenly the mood shifted.

We had chances to kill it off — Terry tipped a Bridge free-kick over, Gubbins headed the resulting corner just too high — but the visitors weren’t finished.

With seven minutes left, substitute Sahid Kamara smashed in a thunderous effort off the underside of the bar to make it 3–2. From nowhere, we were staring at a Good Friday collapse.

But credit to the lads — they dug in, won their duels, and saw out the final minutes with grit.

Full Time

Southend United 3–2 Braintree Town

Two wins on the spin. Small gap to 8th protected. And a reminder that nothing is ever straightforward with this club.

Line-Ups

Southend United

Starting XI:
Andeng-Ndi (GK), Scott-Morriss (c) ⚠️31’, Taylor, Golding (Goodliffe 64’), Gubbins, Boyes ⚠️57’ (Bridge 64’), Coker, Massey (Morton 86’), Austin, Hopper, Dallas (Kendall 77’)

Substitutes: Appiah-Forson, Bridge, Goodliffe, Kendall, Morton, Spasov, Walker

Braintree Town

Starting XI:
Terry (GK), Francis-Clarke, Clarridge ⚠️85’, Drake, Clampin (c) (Omrore 67’), Vennings (Kamara 67’), Okunowo (Babić 46’), Battrum ⚠️38’, Thorpe (Harriott 67’ ⚠️80’), Walker, Massiah-Edwards

Substitutes: Akinde, Babić, Hadi, Harriott, Kamara, Langston, Omrore

Goals

Southend United: Dallas 6’, 33’; Coker 54’
Braintree Town: Battrum 69’; Kamara 83’

Match Officials

Referee: Wayne Cartmel
Assistant Referees: Andrew Bennett, David Pilling
Fourth Official: Ciaran Fidler

Attendance

9,716 (370 away)

National League Table Top 10