Southend United 3–2 Yeovil Town: Omochere gives us a debut to remember

Not the start we wanted

It hadn’t been an easy week to support The Shrimpers. We’d been beaten 3–1 by Kidderminster after leading, then drawn 1–1 at Woking after again going in ahead at half-time. The football had been encouraging in spells, but the results had left us with plenty to grumble about.

Yeovil arrived unbeaten and one point ahead of us. They had earned that record, and from the start it was clear that Billy Rowley’s side hadn’t travelled to Roots Hall to be impressed by the home crowd.

The first serious opening of the afternoon hurt. In the 25th minute, Zain Westbrooke lofted the ball forward, Archie Davies got beyond Harry Taylor and poked his finish past Joe Duncan. It was a neat goal from Yeovil’s point of view and a thoroughly avoidable one from ours.

Southend tried to respond. Leon Chambers-Parillon drove at the opposition and found Ryan Colclough, whose effort was saved by Jos Barker. Chambers-Parillon then won possession high up the pitch, got into the area and made Barker turn his shot behind at the near post.

There were chances, but that familiar problem was back: we were creating opportunities without finding the net. Yeovil had needed one to take the lead. We had more of the ball in threatening areas and still went in behind.

At half-time it was 0–1. I was frustrated, but there was enough in our attacking play to believe we could still turn it around. Unfortunately, the next goal went the wrong way.

Two down, and the afternoon turning ugly

Colclough continued to test Barker after the interval, getting a low effort away and later forcing the goalkeeper to tip another shot over. The chances were there, but nothing seemed to be falling for us.

Then came the sucker punch. Davies’ pass took a deflection off Oli Coker and found Ryan Jones, who pulled the ball back for Yeovil captain Luke McCormick. His finish into the bottom corner doubled the visitors’ lead in the 58th minute.

Southend were 2–0 down at home. The unbeaten Glovers looked in complete control of the scoreline, and we were staring at a third game without a win. After the previous two results, I don’t think anybody could be blamed for having a few unprintable thoughts at that moment.

What mattered was how the team reacted. In earlier matches we’d struggled when opponents changed the game. This time Dyer had to change it himself.

Three changes, and an entirely different mood

In the 63rd minute, Dyer made three substitutions. Rayan Oyebade, Josh Popoola and new striker Promise Omochere entered the match. Omochere hadn’t even played for us before, yet he was being asked to help save a match that seemed to be disappearing.

It was the sort of introduction that could have been forgettable. A few touches, a bit of running, and an unhappy home debut. Instead, he gave Yeovil defenders a completely different problem to deal with.

First, though, we needed the spark. Darren Oldaker provided it.

We had already tried one set-piece routine that resulted in Barker tipping Twamley’s effort over. Then Oldaker stood over a free-kick from around twenty-five yards in the 66th minute. He cleared the wall and beat Barker with a magnificent strike.

It was his first goal for Southend, and I can’t imagine he will score many more important ones. Suddenly we were only one behind, the crowd had something to believe in and Yeovil could no longer treat the closing stages as a matter of seeing the time out.

A goal like that changes more than the scoreboard. It changes how the next tackle feels, how loudly supporters get behind the next attack and how nervous the opposing defenders become. We were still losing, but at least we were properly in the contest again.

Chambers-Parillon drags us level

The equaliser arrived thirteen minutes later, and Omochere was central to it. Chambers-Parillon sent the debutant into space, Omochere used his strength to work into the area and returned the ball for his teammate. Chambers-Parillon hit the shot, and although it wasn’t the cleanest connection of his career, it beat Barker.

Two-all. Roots Hall had gone from resignation to hope to genuine excitement in barely a quarter of an hour.

I was delighted for Chambers-Parillon. He had been one of our most positive attacking players from the opening day, and here he was again, making something happen when we desperately needed it. There are players who look busy without hurting the opposition; he keeps finding ways to affect the match.

And look at Omochere’s involvement. On his debut, with the ball at his feet and a defence trying to hold on to a lead, he made a sensible decision at just the right moment. He didn’t force a shot when the pass was there. He laid it off and helped create the equaliser.

At 2–2, I would have been relieved to come away with a point. But the home side hadn’t finished.

Omochere announces himself

Six minutes later, Omochere received the ball with his back to goal. Joe Gubbins was trying to hold him up, but the Southend striker spun away, found room from a tight angle and smashed his shot into the roof of the net.

What a way to introduce yourself to the Southend supporters.

It was the 85th minute, and from 2–0 down we were suddenly 3–2 ahead. Omochere had helped make one goal and scored another in his first appearance. You can spend weeks telling people what a signing might bring; sometimes a player simply shows you.

There was still time to worry, of course. Yeovil pushed forward and goalkeeper Barker even came up for a late corner, but Southend dealt with the final threat and held on. The whistle confirmed one of those victories that leaves you feeling exhausted even when all you’ve done is follow the football.

Match Details

Teams