Game Thirty Six - Southend Home

6 December 2008

It almost feels weird to be reporting on Leicester for the league once more after so much seems to have happened since the last time we were at the Walkers Stadium for a saturday league game. For the visit of Southend though, we were opting for something different - a funky 2:30pm kick off thanks to our lessor neighbours having a game at home in the early evening. Alright it wasn't very exciting but it's the only thing of note worth mentioning in the build up to the game... other than the fact that winter was well and truly upon us now!

Arrived about 20 minutes before kick off and headed over to the L1 concourse to collect money from Jodie for the Leeds tickets and also happened to bump into Chloe fresh from the goal course too. Starting to wonder if she ever spends any time in Birmingham these days!
City started brightly and really took the game to Southend from the off. A deep, hanging cross was headed just wide from Matt Oakley as early as the 5th minute, but we were not to be denied for long. A ball was played out wide to Fryatt who picked it up, cut inside past the defender and curled a beautiful effort past the dive of the despairing keeper. 20 goals for the season - where would we be without his cool touch in front of goal in the recent weeks?

We won a couple of free kicks mid way through the first half which resulted in nothing - Berner having his shot charged down before he could make a clean connection on it, and Dyer only managing to find the keeper with his curling effort. Southend offered little going forward and it appeared that it was only a matter of time before the lead was extended but that wasn't to happen before the half time whistle sounded.

Half time saw the what is now traditional meet up with Katy in the concourse. She was armed as ever with what it fast turning into the lucky scarf what with it having a 100% record at games this season so far. Usual fun and games pursued and we even bumped into Kokopops who had popped outside for a "breath of fresh air."

Southend came closest to opening the second half scoring with a shot that had to be palmed out by David Martin in the Leicester goal. This slight groin strain of Hendo's is proving to be annoyingly long in keeping him out.

Substitute Mark Davies (sounds almost like Mark De Vries if said quickly - random fact for the day), also came close to doubling the lead. Stealing the ball in the Southend penalty area, he then skipped past a standing defender and fired against the keepers legs when he arguably should have done better.

We didn't have to wait long though to hear the rather bizzare goal horn / chelsea dagger mix though as a long ball forward was flicked on by Steve Howard to the feet of the in form Fryatt. He skimmied past the defender and then lashed an effort across the keeper from the edge of the area to make it 5 in two games for him.

And four minutes later, it was 6 in two as he made it an incredible two hat-tricks in two games. I've heard of it done in consecutive home games by Torres at Liverpool and Doyle at Reading but never in consecutive matches in recent years - I may be proved wrong on this though. As like his last one, this hat-trick contained a penalty as a hooked shot from Fryatt was blocked by the arms of Barrett. The man himself instantly grabbed the ball and placed it down before firing confidentally to the keepers right hand side. (Apologies for the picture quality of this - who can contain their excitement with the prospect of the new goal tune coming up??)

From then on it was just a case of seeing the game out - a few long range efforts from Southend narrowly fizzed by the post, but Martin remained untroubled and the final whistle was greeted by the cheers of home fans marking the 6th consecutive home victory - only been done in the first ever 6 home games at the Walkers Stadium.

Results from other grounds around the league meant that we have not produced a 4 point gap from the play off places and things are looking good ahead of the massive trip up north to Carlisle at the weekend. 450 mile or so round trip? The thinks we do for this club. Onwards and upwards!