Cheltenham Town were defeated 2-0 in their final match of the season today at Southend United's Roots Hall ground.
A very young Cheltenham side, that had five teenagers on the pitch at any one time, coped admirably against a far more experienced Southend side.
Kyle Haynes once again performed well on the right and goalkeeper Will Puddy had a sound Football League debut.
The first half was goalless with Cheltenham Town creating easily the best chance of the first 45 minutes. Unfortunately young Michail Antonio was unable to supply the finish and the teams went into the break at 0-0.
Southend took the lead at the start of the second half through captain Adam Barrett and substitute Jean-Francois Christophe supplied the second goal a minute from the end.
TEAM NEWS: Robins manager Martin Allen selected another young with some of the senior players left at home and Andy Lindegaard failing a pre-match fitness test on an injured knee. Will Puddy was selected for his Football League debut in goal and became the 50th player to appear in the Cheltenham Town first team this season, while 17-year old striker Jake Lee returned to the starting line-up alongside Michail Antonio.
Michael Townsend moved back to the centre of defence with Kyle Haynes switched to right-back and David Hutton moved across to the right-hand side of midfield and Lee Ridley on the left.
All the outfield players on the bench were teenage Scholars with Jack Durrant and Theo Lewis being joined by Josh Emery and Cathal Tosh.
3rd minute: Cheltenham's Michail Antonio had the first chance of the game with a left foot shot from the edge of the area that cleared the crossbar by some distance.
6: Southend midfielder Alan McCormack struck a shot wide from 25 yards after a cleverly worked free-kick move.
9: An unbelievable miss by young Antonio after Lee Ridley had sent Yuri Berchiche free in space down the left. Berchiche crossed low behind the Southend defence but Antonio, arriving four yards out, appeared to stumble as he stretched for the ball and sent his shot wide with the goal gaping.
13 DISALLOWED GOAL: Southend striker Theo Robinson put the ball in the net after Peter Clarke had won the ball from a Franck Moussa corner. However, referee Graham Horwood ruled out the score for a handball offence.
18: Southend won three corners in quick succession but all of them were defended well enough. Puddy claimed the third one with an excellence catch to give him some early confidence.
26: Southend midfielder Anthony Grant picked out Robinson on the left-hand corner of the penalty area but his low driven shot was smothered by Puddy.
29 YELLOW CARD: Anthony Grant booked for a foul on Shane Duff.
33: Robinson was proving a lively customer for the home side with some inventive movement across the forward line. He got onto the end of a long ball from Alan McCormack, this time on the right-hand corner of the area, but once again Puddy got safely behind his shot.
35: A strong run by Moussa down the left-hand side set up the chance for McCormack to shoot from the edge of the box but his effort skidded wide.
42: Robinson got onto the end of a cross from deep by Grant but his volley from eight yards was wide of the target.
HALF-TIME: Southend United 0, Cheltenham Town 0
47: Southend began the second half with a move of several passes that ended with Moussa cutting into the penalty area from the left-hand side and sending a shot into the side netting.
54 GOAL: Southend took the lead when a free-kick from right-back Simon Francis from a wide position was met by defender Adam Barrett and his firm header from 12 yards out gave Puddy no chance.
55 SUBSTITUTION: Josh Emery became the latest player to be given a Football League debut when he replaced Jake Lee. Emery took up a place on the right-hand side of midfield with Hutton pushed into attack.
58: David Hutton had Cheltenham's first shot on target when he took a free-kick from 25 yards that goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall got across to hold.
66 SUBSTITUTION: Damian Scannell replaced Francis Laurent for Southend.
68 FORMATION CHANGE: Michael Townsend moved up front with Andy Gallinagh switched to the right of a three man back line and Kyle Haynes pushed further forward in a 3-4-3 shape.
72: Francis drove in a low cross behind the Cheltenham defence for Moussa, who stole in between two players and got a toe to the ball but could not keep his shot on target.
72 SUBSTITUTION: Jean-Francois Christophe replaced Anthony Grant for Southend.
78: A mis-hit clearance from Will Puddy fell to Southend striker Lee Barnard 40 yards out. He tried his luck with a first-time shot but the ball flew wide of the target.
80 YELLOW CARD: Barrett booked for a foul on Haynes.
80 SUBSTITUTION: Kevin Betsy replaced Barnard for Southend.
83: A neat piece of skill from Betsy took him along the byline into the penalty area and he pulled the ball back for Dorian Devite on the edge of the box. Devite hit a firm shot at goal but Betsy had continued his run across goal and the ball rebounded off him preventing an almost certain goal.
85: Robinson found Betsy in the box but despite a sharp turn his shot cleared the crossbar.
86 DOUBLE SUBSTITUTION: Theo Lewis for Kyle Haynes and Jack Durrant for Yuri Berchiche.
89 GOAL: Franck Moussa weaved his way into the box from the left-hand side before laying the ball back for Jean-Francois Christophe on the edge of the box. His firm right-foot shot flew into the top left-hand corner of Will Puddy's net.
90: A low drive from Moussa was turned around the posts for a corner by Puddy as the Cheltenham side began to tire.
FULL TIME: Southend United 2, Cheltenham Town 0
SOUTHEND UNITED (4-4-2): Mildenhall; Francis, Dervite, Clarke, Barrett; Laurent (Scannell 66), Grant (Christophe 72), McCormack, Moussa; Robinson, Barnard (Betsy 80). Subs not used: Sankofa, Herd
CHELTENHAM TOWN (4-4-2): Puddy; Haynes (Lewis 86), Townsend, Duff, Berchiche (Durrant 86); Hutton, Gallinagh, Artus, Ridley; Lee (Emery 55), Antonio. Subs not used: Brown (Gk), Tosh
REFEREE: G.D.Horwood (Bedfordshire)
ATTENDANCE: 8,192 (252 from Cheltenham)
