Reaction: Powell on Wycombe win
Scott Hatley
@SUFCRootsHall
Chris Powell was delighted to see his side survive a late comeback from Wycombe to notch a second successive win for the first time this season with a 3-2 win at Adams Park.
A first-half strike from Theo Robinson, coupled with goals from Tom Hopper and Simon Cox in the second-half, looked to see Southend cruising to three well-deserved points.
Late goals from Craig Mackail-Smith and Adebayo Akinfenwa made for a nervy finish, but Blues held on and afterwards the Southend gaffer gave us his thoughts.
On the Wycombe win…
We made it a lot harder than it should have been because for 80 minutes we were cruising and I thought we dealt with their threat very well. You have to defend manfully, you have to defend the first ball and the second ball, and we did that well at times; we planned for it all week.
I thought attacking wise before we got our first goal, we fashioned two or three really good chances and really, we should have been way ahead. But 1-0 at half-time, we just sorted out one or two things because I felt we could have been even better on the ball and then the start of the second-half was exactly what we needed.
I've got to say Mark Oxley made a key save when we should have got a penalty. It didn't happen and all of a sudden he's [Fred Onyedinma] one-on-one with Mark Oxley who made himself big and kept us in the game, then Tom Hopper gets the second and Simon Cox finishes brilliantly.
All three strikers get a goal so I'm thinking, we've got Burton on Tuesday, can I maybe get some players on because we looked comfortable and as everyone saw, they score a brilliant first goal and then the second goal, we went away from what we did really well all game and then panic stations. Don't be a manager, I say.
On all three strikers getting on the scoresheet…
We turned to three at the back with wing-backs because we think it suits Jason Demetriou and Ben Coker, and then we're playing with three strikers; normally teams play with one, and when you play with two it's a little bit surprising.
Simon Cox always plays deeper when he plays in a two, so we felt they've all got different qualities so if we can get them in the team it might help us. We can adjust as well, we can take a striker out, put an extra midfielder in now Dru [Yearwood] is fit.
Our attacking play was really good and actually, on another day, Theo [Robinson] could have been taking the match ball home because, by his standards, he really should have got a hat-trick today. All three strikers will be happy, they got a goal each, it builds on what they've done so far and now we move onto Burton.
On Yearwood's return and a busy October ahead…
It's been a long time for Dru and he's been itching to get back in, and I just thought it was the right time to bring him on: 10 minutes left, good for the fans as they obviously love him, and he did ok when he came on and he'll get better and stronger.
We've got a big week with Burton away [on Tuesday], Oxford at home and then Colchester and Gillingham, so it's going to test us with regards to our energy and our fitness. But with Dru coming back that really helps; Michael Kightly, Mark Oxley coming back from suspension is really good so let's hope we can just continue with the way we have been.
Wycombe Wanderers vs Southend United on 29 Sep 18
Chris Powell