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Blues 6 Southend Park Rangers 1

Last updated : 27 December 2006 By Richard Barker

A lack of internet access and an increased ability to go out to pubs has meant that I've got a bit behind with the match reports, so what better way to confuse everyone (including myself) than combining the two matches into one match report. Don't think it'll work? No, nor do I, but I can't be bothered to write two.

With Seb Larsson and Cameron Jerome both picking up suspensions for fifth bookings of the season in the win at Sheffield Wednesday, Damien Johnson and DJ Campbell came in to replace them respectively for the trip to Essex. Despite Larsson and Jerome being available again after suspension for the visit of the team from West London, Johnson and Campbell kept their places. Mehdi Nafti continued to keep Fabrice Muamba out of the team - twice.

Blues started well with the confidence that comes from moreorless winning every game you play, with Campbell, Gary McSheffrey and Nicklas Bendtner all immediately on the front foot. It took just 8 minutes for Blues to take the lead in Essex, when McSheffrey broke at pace, knocked a ball through to Campbell and the striker who normally can't finish spanked a fierce right-foot drive past Darryl Flahavan into the top corner from some 18 yards. He showed off his new-found shooting ability later in the game at St Andrews but was denied by Simon Royce in goal.

Blues continued to probe and Matthew Upson added another goal at St Andrews halfway through the first half. McSheffrey was again the provider as his free-kick was met by a powerful header from the centre-half who may never play at St Andrews again (after limping off late on and then inevitably being sold in January) to delight a full house at St Andrews for the 100th Anniversary "Celebrations" which included some bits of cardboard and the unveiling of an invisible big screen.

Southend Park Rangers hit back on the half hour with a fine strike from Lee Cook - a very talented midfielder. He cut inside from the left and hit a great right-foot striker that curled into the far corner of Maik Taylor's net. Blues had eased off the pace slightly at St Andrews and this was a wake up call that was duly answered minutes later in Essex.

Johnson probed down the right, his cross wasn't cleared properly by the defence and goal-scoring machine Stephen Clemence was arriving at the far post to knock the ball back across goal and beyond the despairing dive of Flahavan who got fingertips to it and it was 3-1 (on aggregate) at half-time at Roots Hall/St Andrews.

Blues had managed to keep the SPR strike-force of Freddy Eastwood and Paul Furlong fairly subdued and this continued in the second half as Blues refused to sit back on their lead and continued to attack with menace. It was 4-1 ten minutes into the second half when there was a dubious decision from the referee at Roots Hall. He refused to play an advantage when Bendtner was fouled on the edge of the area, although Bendtner had still managed to tee up Campbell who scored from close range. Despite protests from the Blues players the referee insisted it was a free-kick, so rather than moan anymore McSheffrey just scored with the free-kick to make all the protests trivial.

On the hour Cameron Jerome (who had come on for Campbell) made it 5-1 at St Andrews with his first league goal at the ground. A fine through ball by Bendtner was latched onto by McSheffrey who pointed to Jerome where he wanted him to go. Jerome did as he was told, was played in with an open goal at his mercy and made no mistake - unlike Campbell was had failed from a similar position moments earlier.

Blues continued to play some fine football at Roots Hall/St Andrews, and five minutes from time Radhi Jaidi completed the aggregate scoring from a Johnson cross - it wasn't even a set piece... Jaidi was just up front for some reason, but he added his his decent scoring record for Blues with a header to make it 6-1 on aggregate.

So, a fine afternoon at Roots Hall, whilst the lack of another goal led to a nervy final few minutes at St Andrews, but in the end it all worked out for the best.

Did you follow that? No, me neither. Anyway, in their 4-0 victory at Southend, Blues genuinely never needed to get out of second gear. Whether Southend's midweek extra-time exploits at White Hart Lane had drained them of any energy, I don't know. Maybe they'd all been in Seymour's (Southend's 57th Best Nightspot) on the Friday night. They were woeful in any case, and Blues took full advantage. You have to have the firepower to take advantage though, and Blues made no mistakes in front of goal.

As for the 2-1 victory over QPR, Blues played some great stuff - especially in the second half - but the goals appear to have dried up and they only scored twice (Bruce out!). After Cook's fine strike this meant QPR were always in the game, but, in the end, Blues sealed the win and will have been delighted by the results of their promotion rivals as they went 8 points clear at the top of the league. With the Luton game being played Friday night, they could extend that lead to 11 points by the time anyone else plays now. Which would be nice.

A fine festive season so far, and long may it continue. Goals, fine players and wins - blimey, this must be what being a football fan is all about? I'd heard fans of other teams mention it, but I just presumed it was an urban myth...