A tense, scrappy afternoon where the Blues needed a spark — but the play-off cushion stays intact
Sometimes a 0–0 tells you everything about a game. This one was all graft, nerves, and two goalkeepers refusing to blink. Southend couldn’t quite find the moment to break Solihull down, but with the play‑off cushion still healthy, Roots Hall left frustrated rather than panicked.
⚽ Goal Summary
No goals — just two keepers in inspired form.
📘 Match Summary
You could tell from the first whistle that Solihull hadn’t come to roll over. They were sharp, aggressive, and straight onto us with a couple of early corners that had the West Stand shifting in their seats. Sbarra’s delivery skidded just wide, and Baines’ header wasn’t far off either. Not the calm start we wanted.
Southend grew into it, though. Boyes had a pop from distance, and then came the first real moment that got Roots Hall on its feet — a gorgeous right‑side move ending with Scott‑Morriss bending one that Walker clawed away at full stretch. That felt like the spark… but it didn’t quite ignite.
At the other end, Andeng‑Ndi was having one of those afternoons where he looked like he’d save anything. Lipsiuc tested him, Sbarra tested him, and Collin just kept throwing himself around like a man possessed. He was the reason the half‑time whistle came with the scoreboard still blank.
The second half followed the same pattern: Solihull breaking quickly, Southend trying to build pressure. McFarlane went clean through and Collin stood him up brilliantly — one of those saves where the whole ground exhales at once.
Maher’s changes helped. Morton and Appiah‑Forson brought a bit of calm, and Scott‑Morriss kept driving us forward like a man determined to win it on his own. He had two more efforts saved, and Appiah‑Forson was denied from close range.
Then came the moment everyone wanted — Harry Cardwell back on the pitch. First minutes since January, and Roots Hall gave him the welcome he deserved.
Dallas nearly nicked it late on with a curling effort that Walker somehow tipped wide. Seven minutes added on, the place urging the lads forward… but the breakthrough never came.
A point. Not the one we wanted, but not a disaster either.
⭐ Standout Performers
- Collin Andeng‑Ndi — Absolutely immense. Without him, this game goes the wrong way.
- Gus Scott‑Morriss — Our biggest threat all afternoon. Relentless energy, relentless intent.
- Joe Gubbins — Threw himself into everything. Proper defensive shift.
📊 League Table
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | York City | 44 | 32 | 8 | 4 | 110 | 40 | 70 | 104 | W L W W W W |
| 2 | Rochdale | 44 | 32 | 6 | 6 | 85 | 39 | 46 | 102 | W D W L D W |
| 3 | Carlisle United | 44 | 27 | 8 | 9 | 83 | 51 | 32 | 89 | W W W D D W |
| 4 | Boreham Wood | 44 | 25 | 9 | 10 | 91 | 58 | 33 | 84 | W W D W L W |
| 5 | Scunthorpe United | 44 | 23 | 12 | 9 | 76 | 60 | 16 | 81 | W D W D L W |
| 6 | Forest Green Rovers | 44 | 22 | 12 | 10 | 76 | 50 | 26 | 78 | W L W W D W |
| 7 | Southend United | 42 | 20 | 12 | 10 | 70 | 40 | 30 | 72 | L D W W W D |
| 8 | Halifax Town | 44 | 19 | 10 | 15 | 66 | 60 | 6 | 67 | W L L W D D |
| 9 | Hartlepool United | 43 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 47 | 52 | -5 | 62 | W W L D D L |
| 10 | Woking | 43 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 66 | 53 | 13 | 59 | D L D D D W |
📋 Line‑Ups
Southend United:
Andeng‑Ndi, Scott‑Morriss, Taylor, Goodliffe (Bridge 86′), Gubbins, Boyes, Coker, Massey (Morton 55′), Austin (Appiah‑Forson 55′), Hopper (Cardwell 68′), Dallas (Kendall 86′)
Subs: Bridge, Spasov, Parillon, Cardwell, Appiah‑Forson, Morton, Kendall
Solihull Moors:
Walker, French, Whitmore, Baines, Green, Moore, High, Lipsiuc (Sonupe 86′), Worman (Wilkinson 66′), Sbarra (Osborne 87′), McFarlane (Wakeling 77′)
Subs: Osborne, Wilkinson, Cox, Tipton, Wakeling, Sonupe, Flahavan
🟨 Yellow Cards
Southend: Whitmore 30’
Solihull: Gubbins 40’
👥 Attendance
8,993 (67 away)
📣 Match Officials
Referee: Aaron Bannister
Assistant Referee 1: Nick Blogg
Assistant Referee 2: Amarjit Sarao
Fourth Official: Morgan Conn
📌 Final Word
A frustrating one, no doubt. But the bigger picture still looks good — the play‑offs are right there, and Aldershot on Tuesday gives us the chance to finish the job. Not pretty, not thrilling, but sometimes you just take the point and move on.