Southend United 1 Burnley 0 - Tony Dewhurst's big match verdict

ALVIN Martin stood in the Roots Hall corridor and pointed a finger in the direction of the Burnley dressing room door.

"Yeah, I am thankful for the win, but I can't help thinking it could have been different if Chris Waddle had played from the start," observed the Southend United manager.

"I was pleased to see his name on the substitutes' bench when I picked up their teamsheet.

"He is still a class act and, given the time that all new managers need, he can turn Burnley into a force again.

"But we are both apprentices at this management game, and people sometimes expect success on a plate.

"Like myself, the fans at Burnley are just going to have to give Chris some precious time and be patient."

Martin's observations about his old England mate were not far off the mark, because if there was ever a bread and butter confrontation that was crying out for a wee bit of Waddle sorcery and inspiration then this surely was it.

Waddle is getting close to full fitness - but Burnley fans reckon the sooner he pulls on the number seven shirt again the better.

Because the Clarets, at present, are not providing their strikers with the ammunition they desperately need to score a goal. The goals have simply dried up.

It would be totally wrong to base the theory of Second Division life around three League games, but in 270 minutes of league football and a 1,000 miles on the road, the Clarets still have to find the back of the net.

And that is a consideration for Waddle as he reflected on a frustrating 90 minutes. "We are competing very well but we are just not creating enough to hurt the opposition," he observed.

"When we do get inside the penalty box, we do not seem to have that conviction to say: 'This one is going in the net.'

"All we can do is keep working. You can't make players score goals. You can make them get there and get on the end of passes but the problem we have is that we can't score.

"The object of the game is not to give the ball away. But I thought both teams gave the ball away far too easily. It was very scrappy at times.

"I'm nearing 100 per cent fitness now and I think I might have to play to try and create some chances."

Make no mistake, this was a Bank Holiday damp squib for the Burnley fans who made the grinding 500-mile round trip to the Essex coast.

The scrappy contest was littered with misdirected passes and a general lack of cohesion as Southend called the tune for large chunks of the game.

Indeed, Burnley suffered the worst possible start as big Dutch striker Joroen Boere fired the home side in front to hand Southend their first victory in the League at Roots Hall since March 31!

Boere - who had a trial at Turf Moor under Jimmy Mullen - was the man on the mark and you could have put your mortgage on him scoring.

Burnley's defence was creaking after Andy Clarke's centre caused pandemonium.

Paul Williams made a hash of his first attempt, but a second opportunity fell kindly to Boere who rammed home the chance from 10 yards out. The goal was the cue for a sea of Southend pressure.

Burnley's defence was especially vulnerable on the flanks as danger man Clarke probed the Clarets back line.

Clarke saw a powerful shot go wide before a Paul Byrne cross was charged down by Michael Williams.

Then, with Southend underlining their dominance, skipper Mike Marsh's shot was beaten away before a strong claim for a penalty after Lee Howey had caught Paul Williams.

Indeed, Burnley's only two worthwhile efforts in the first half saw David Eyres clip the top of the Southend crossbar with a clever free kick and Steve Blatherwick test Simon Royce with an astute overhead kick.

Yet it was always going to need more than that to unlock a stubborn Southend defence which snuffed out the twin threat of Paul Barnes and Andy Cooke.

Tall defender Lee Roget came to Southend's rescue, heading Blatherwick's header off the line with a last ditch clearance following a David Eyres corner.

But even the arrival of Chris Waddle could not fire the Clarets into life. While the second period was a marked improvement, Southend's defence held their position.

Mark Ford was desperately unlucky to see his volley hacked off the line by Nathan Jones and only a minute earlier Cooke's shot forced a spectacular reflex save from Simon Royce.

Clearly, though, bottom of the Second Division after three games and without a League goal in the bank is not the start Chris Waddle would have wanted.

But Waddle must be given time to operate and players time to settle into the formation he wants before he can be judged.

Even so, though, it is vitally important that Burnley break that League scoring duck against Bristol Rovers next weekend - and get that crucial win under their belts.

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