Tuesday 6 April 2010

With little to choose between the two sides up until half-time, Barrett commented, “Very cagey and obviously there’s a lot at stake with the two teams being both in the relegation spots it was always going to be a tight game. In the second half you saw more what the Gillingham are about and in the end as I said we deserved the three points”

With Gills hitting the ground running straight from the restart with a goal from Dennis Oli after just 75 seconds he added, “That first goal was always going to be vital and to get it so soon into the second half was brilliant for us and put the Southend players on the back foot. Dennis Oli, yes brilliant and great workrate again as he was carrying a little bit of a strain at half-time but he wanted to carry on which is all credit to him.”

“Again the build up, support play from Cutis Weston (top left) was excellent. That’s the sort of things that if you saw him in the rest of the other goals as well it was good team play, good football and that’s what we try and preach. We want to try and play nice football but sometimes you don’t always get the results your football deserves but I think today we did.”

Commenting on Rene Howe (bottom left) notching his first goal for the Club, a delighted Scott Barrett said, “Obviously it was becoming a little bit of a thing for him.

He had chances that didn’t go in and in the first half he had a great chance but the keeper managed to make a block so it looked like it was going to be one of those days again for him. All credit to him, he took his chance really well and that was nice to see the ball go in the back of the net.”

On Simeon Jackson making a welcome return to the team Scott said, “He came back well as he wasn’t risked from the start of the game and was asked to go on the bench. He did well when he came on and that’s all you can ask from him and fingers crossed we don’t get any more injury demons and we can build on this result and carry on and keep out of the relegation spot.”

Barrett continued, “We’ve got to gauge exactly how Simeon reacts to this bit of the game that he had as we don’t want him to play and his hamstring to go completely as that would be devastating for us as he’s so important to us. We got some big games coming up so we want to keep everyone as fit as we can”.

On the importance of getting all three points today he added, “They are vital because we are at that point in the season now where every point is vital. We’ve got to try and pick up as many points as we can and again and I’ve seen the table. The table is still tight, as one defeat and you’re possibly right back in the relegation spot. So every point is going to be vital between now and the end of the season.”

Meanwhile a disappointed Steve Tilson (right), speaking to the Shrimpers Official website said, “The first goal was always going to be important today. We needed to make a better decision to clear the ball and it was a poor goal to concede. The heads go down and while we are chasing the game, they have hit us on the counter attack for their second and third goals. There was not a lack of effort today, but we got caught on the break when we were looking to score.”

“Macca was out with a sprained foot from Saturday and it is another major player missing. The list is endless and with players not playing on top form, that wouldn't be the case if we had a bigger squad. With other results, we are probably down to needing three wins and a draw from our last six games. The games are running out now and it is going to be tough, but while it is possible, we have to believe we can do it.”