KEV RANTS AT 'POOR' SHRIMPERS

SOUTHEND United boss Kevin Maher slammed his side’s ‘scandalous’ defending after this defeat to Gateshead at Roots Hall.

- Jason Creasey

Maher had been hoping to celebrate being awarded a testimonial by the Shrimpers with a positive result at Roots Hall.

But Gateshead had other ideas and Maher was fuming with the goals his team gave away.

“It’s really disappointing and really poor,” said Maher. “It looked like a team who had been thrown together against a team who had been together a while, which is what it was.

“The first goal is really poor. It’s one ball in behind and we should be in that channel defending.

“The recovery runs are poor and there’s hesitancy about the place which you can feel. That’s only caused by us and nothing else.