Southend

Ground: Roots Hall

Visits: 1

Date: 14th April 2006

Match: Southend - Gillingham 0-1 (CC League 1)

Attendance: 11 195

My Easter trip to England started with the alarm going off at 4am and an hour later I was heading towards Copenhagen. After parking the car in Malmö I made the short train ride over the Öresund bridge to Copenhagen. The flight to Heathrow was on time and I was at my hotel in Bayswater by 11.15. Checked in and then headed towards Liverpool Street where the train towards Southend departs from. Halfway through the journey the rail line was closed and they had a replacement busservice from Wickford to Southend. Finally arrived at Southend by 2 pm, walked to the ground and took some pictures when a steward supervisor told me that I was breaking the law! Took some pictures anyway, when he was out of sight!

The match itself wasn´t the best I have seen. Southend were clearly tense and nervous and didn´t create that many chanches during the game and Gillingham won by 1-0, scoring in the opening minute of the second half. The Gillingham fans were in full voice during most of the second half and created a good atmosphere. When I got back to my hotel in London I was very tired but still glad I decided to go to Roots Hall, a ground as far from McStadium you can come.