DAN THE FAN: Southend draw was unlucky (From This Is Swindon Town FC)

DAN THE FAN: Southend draw was unlucky

6:40am Saturday 6th February 2010

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THE big question heading into Saturday’s game at Southend was how much the players had left in the tank after Tuesday’s heroics against Leeds.

Doubts were quickly laid to rest as Billy Paynter and Charlie Austin gave us a two-goal lead in the first 10 minutes.

In fact, we looked dominant for the vast majority of the game, again playing at a high tempo and getting the ball out wide.

Danny Ward in particular looked threatening throughout as he used his pace to stretch the disorganised Southend defence on a number of occasions.

He was perhaps unlucky not to add a third to Town’s tally, as was Scott Cuthbert, who saw a header rattle the crossbar with Southend looking dead and buried.

Although two scrappy goals in the last five minutes robbed us of two points, there were still plenty of reasons for optimism.

Despite some poor form of late, Southend are one of the stronger teams in the division.

We were able to impose our style of play on them in their own back yard, and that shows we have the players to challenge anyone in League One.

In the dying minutes, we just lacked the confidence to play composed football and retain possession, which would have seen out the result.

If we can add this to our game, our momentum will keep building.

It was a big shame that Danny Wilson didn’t manage to bring in any new faces on the last day of the transfer window.

But the news that Ward will be staying until the end of the season is great for the club.

He will play a huge part in making sure we stay in the play-off positions in the next few months.

Today's game with Charlton will be a big challenge but also a big opportunity to show League One that we deserve to be in the top six.

We came so close on to a famous away win at the Valley on Boxing Day, but had it cruelly snatched away from us in the last seconds of the game.

I'm confident we can get a win today. If we make sure that Addicks danger man Jonjo Shelvey doesn't see too much of the ball and we play like we did against Leeds, then we have a great chance of extending our unbeaten run and getting three points.

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