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  • Date: 2008-08-09
  • Kick-off: 15:00
  • Attendance: 8665
  • Referee: Whitestone, D

Live Commentary

90mins

The ref has blown his whistle for full time.

90mins

The referee has booked Tom Williams.

88mins

Paul Furlong is being taken off, Alex Revell has come on in his place.

84mins

James Walker is replaced by Anthony Grant.

81mins

Chris Whelpdale is replaced by Sergio Raul Torres.

76mins

Goal!! Southend have scored with Peter Clarke putting it in the back of the net.

76mins

Goal!! Peter Clarke scores for Southend.

72mins

Southend are replacing Damian Scannell with Kevin Betsy.

65mins

Charlie Lee is booked for unsporting behaviour.

46mins

The second half is under way with the score currently at 0 v 0.

45mins

The ref has blown his whistle for half time.

29mins

The referee has booked George Boyd.

0mins

It's 3pm on Saturday, August 9th, the match has kicked off.

Match Report

Defender Peter Clarke's first goal at Roots Hall saw Southend United get their League One season off to a winning start.

The strike midway after 76 minutes condemned Peterborough to defeat following their promotion, in a match watched by manager Darren Ferguson's father, Sir Alex.

The Posh enjoyed pressed Blues back into their own half for much of the opening exchanges, but had little to show for it other than an off-target 12-yard shot from Aaron McLean.

Southend weathered the early storm and started to test the Peterborough defence. Posh left-back Russell Martin, making his debut, got a foot to Dan Harding's cross-field ball, but could not stop Damian Scannell unleashing a curling right-foot shot that went just wide of the post.

Transfer-listed Shrimpers midfielder Nicky Bailey, the subject of a rejected bid from Charlton Athletic, then rifled in a 30-yard effort that Joe Lewis held low down.

The Posh then blew a great chance to take the lead when winger Chris Whelpdale's centre from the right byline flashed across the face of goal and beyond the outstretched leg of Craig Mackail-Smith.

And the League One newcomers, who finished second in League Two last season, had the final say of the half when central midfielder Charlie Lee rifled a well-struck 25-yard shot just wide of a diving Steve Mildenhall.

The second half was a fairly scrappy affair until Clarke's goal, with both sides struggling to create decent chances.

Southend skipper Adam Barrett headed straight at Lewis from six yards, before a Bailey shot from a Franck Moussa lay-off was deflected just wide.

McLean had a great chance for the Posh but his shot from 14 yards was parried for a corner by Mildenhall.

Southend then upped the pressure and were nearly rewarded when Paul Furlong's header from a Bailey upfield ball was deflected on to the roof of the net by Peterborough skipper Craig Morgan.

Two minutes later last year's League One play-off semi-finalists made the breakthrough.

Debutant Dan Harding's corner from the right dropped to Clarke and he lashed it into the roof of the net from six yards.

Southend United

Peterborough United

Corners

113

Fouls

1316

Goal attempts

1010

Shots off target

38

Offsides

53

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