Southend 0 Walsall 3 - Report and pictures

Despite emergency services and weather bureau’s advising people not travel as storms continued to disrupt the country, the Shrimpers refused to call the game off with a loyal group of fans turning up before kick-off to clear the pitch of snow.

But their efforts proved in vain with the Saddlers running out comfortable winners following a dominant second-half display which saw Oztumer net three times.

Walsall’s creative schemer opened the scoring in the 57th minute when his shot from distance bobbled past Mark Oxley in the Southend goal.

Less than 10 minutes later he doubled his team’s advantage with a sweetly struck free-kick. And he then completed the rout in the closing stages when he fired in a pin-point Luke Leahy cross.

The result ensured Walsall secured their fourth away victory of the campaign. Jon Whitney’s side have also moved up to 13th in the League One table.

ANALYSIS

In naming his starting line-up, boss Whitney opted to keep faith with the team that was unfortunate to slip to defeat at Peterborough on Tuesday.

It meant the Saddlers remained in a 4-1-4-1 formation with Kieron Morris wide on the right, Maz Kouhyar on the left and Julien Ngoy operating as the lone front man.

However, at kick-off, Kory Roberts lined up at centre-half alongside Jon Guthrie – with Jack Fitzwater seemingly picking up an injury in the warm up.

Southend lined up in a traditional 4-4-2 system with Freddie Ladapo partnering Simon Cox in attacking.

The Shrimpers entered the game unbeaten under new boss Chris Powell with the hosts having won four and drawn one of their matches since the club favourite replaced Phil Brown.

In what was an intriguing opening 25 minutes, both teams managed to play some decent football despite a poor surface that was littered with big patches of mud and sand.

It was the hosts who threatened first with a quick throw allowing Shayon Harrison to send in a cross which was headed high and wide by Ladapo.

Cox then cushioned a header straight at Liam Roberts after connecting with a whipped Stephen McLaughlin cross.

The opening half-hour had proved relatively even, bit it was the home side who continued to look the more dangerous.

And they threatened again when Dru Yearwood charged down a George Dobson clearance with the ball bobbling into the box and Liam Roberts managing to get to it just ahead of the teenager.

Despite some decent passages of play, the Saddlers had struggled to get near the Southend goal with too many moves breaking down in the final third.

But they almost opened the scoring in the 37th minute when a brilliant Luke Leahy ball found Ngoy in the box.

The Stoke loanee brought the ball down before firing a strike at goal. But Michael Turner was in the right place to block the striker’s effort.

Moments later, Walsall were on the attack again with Morris driving at goal before curling a strike inches past the post from 18-yards.

But it meant the two teams made their way off at the break with the score goalless, with Guthrie and Kory Roberts having both defended excellently at the heart of the Saddlers defence.

The Saddlers continued on the front foot following the interval with Ngoy collecting the ball in the box before seeing a low drive blocked by the legs of Mark Oxley.

Southend’s response was instant with Powell’s men a whisker away from opening the scoring just minutes later.

An excellent delivery from ex-Saddler Jason Demetriou looked to be on a plate for Harrison. But just four yards from goal the midfielder side-footed over when he should have opened the scoring.

In what had been a frantic opening to the second half, Kouhyar then flashed a strike narrowly passed the post from 25-yards.

Just before the hour mark though, the Saddlers did get themselves in front. After collecting the ball on the edge of the box, Oztumer tried his luck at goal.

And fortunate favoured Walsall’s top-scorer with the ball skipping off the surface and somehow bouncing over Oxley who really should have dealt with the effort comfortably.

Less than 10 minutes later, the Saddlers had doubled their advantage with Oztumer again doing the damage.

After Morris had been fouled on the edge of the box, Walsall’s Wizard of Oz stood over the resultant free-kick.

And from 25-yards he curled a wonderful strike into the bottom right corner for his 15th of the campaign.

Walsall were now in the ascendancy with Oztumer almost scoring with a carbon-copy free-kick only for Oxley for this time to get down and push his strike away.

With 15 minutes remaining, Southend again started to see more of the ball.

But to man Walsall defended brilliantly with Luke Leahy, Nicky Devlin, Kory Roberts and Guthrie all impressing in the back four and the handling of Liam Roberts outstanding.

And it was the visitors who put the game to bed in the 85th minute when a swift counter ended with the ball being worked to Leahy down the left.

He then delivered a pin-point low cross which Oztumer smartly poked past Oxley to complete his hat-trick.

KEY MOMENTS

3 Kieron Morris losses possession on the edge of the box. Simon Cox then hits a low drive which is claimed by Liam Roberts.

12 A quick throw finds SHayon Harrison whose cross is met by Freddie Ladapo but his header sails well over.

14 Stephen McLaughlin's cross is met by Simon Cox but his header is claimed by Liam Roberts.

26 Cox hits a tame effort from the edge of the box that is easily held by Roberts.

30 Yearwood blocks a George Dobson clearance and almost pokes the ball beyond Roberts but the goalkeeper gets a hand on it and stops his effort.#

37 Luke Leahy's long pass is taken down by Julien Ngoy but Michael Turner gets back to make an important recovery block.

40 Kieron Morris drives towards the box before curling a left-footed effort just wide of the far post.

41 Cox's 25-yard shot sails well wide.

43 Ngoy and Erhun Oztumer link up well but the striker then curls a strike a wide.

47 Maz Kouhyar slides the ball into Ngoy, who turns Turner but his shot from a narrow angle is blocked by the legs of Mark Oxley.

49 Jason Demetriou's deep cross finds Harrison at the far post but he volleys over just yards from goal.

51 Kouhyar flashes a strike inches wide from 25-yards.

57 Goal Walsall! Oztumer's left-footed strike from 20 yards appears to hit a bobble and bounce over the dive of Oxley.

66 Goal Walsall. Oztumer's 25-yard left-footed free-kick nestles in the bottom corner.

76 Oztumer's 25-yard free-kick is parried by Oxley.

86 Goal Walsall! Leahy's low cross is poked home by Oztumer for his hat-trick.

TEAMS

Southend: Oxley, Demetriou, Turner, Ferdinand, Coker, McLaughlin, Yearwood, Timlin (Wordsworth 75), Harrison (Kightly 66), Cox, Ladapo (Fortune 67).

Subs not used: Bishop, Kyprianou, Bwomono, Wright.

Walsall: L.Roberts, Devlin, K. Roberts, Guthrie, Leahy, Chambers, Dobson, Morris, Kouhyar (Kinsella 79), Oztumer (Cuvelier 87), Ngoy (Bakayoko 70).

Subs not used: Gillespie, Flanagan, Bakayoko.