County can equal yet another club record this weekend when we host Southend United at Edgeley Park, looking to edge another step closer to a return to the Football League for the first time since 2011.
Avoiding defeat on Saturday in front of the BT Sport cameras would see us make it 18 league games unbeaten in a single season, equalling the record set last year under Simon Rusk.
Despite a disappointing late defeat at Wrexham last weekend in the FA Trophy semi-final, 16 wins and a draw in our last 17 league games means we remain in pole position as we enter the final stages of the season.
The Welsh side beat Barnet 6-0 on Tuesday night to cut the gap at the top to eight points with nine games remaining, and could cut the gap to five before we kick-off, as they host Eastleigh earlier in the day.
The title, however, remains very much in Dave Challinor’s sides’ hands as we prepare to take on Kevin Maher’s Southend, knowing a win would take us closer to achieving our goal.
The Shrimpers’ form, meanwhile, has stumbled in the last few weeks, with last Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at home to Notts County their fourth loss in the last five to leave them 13th in the National League table.
Saturday is also Danny Bergara Day at Edgeley Park, as we remember our legendary former manager. We’re asking fans to help commemorate the event by sporting any retro shirts scarfs or other kit/merchandise from Danny’s era (1989-1995) – click here for more information.
Since we last met:
Our first meeting with Southend this season came all the way back in August, also live on BT Sport, as John Rooney’ first-half goal at Roots Hall secured us our first win of the new season, at the second attempt.
After back to back relegations for the Essex side, and a first season outside the Football League in 101 years, Southend fans might have been forgiven for expecting an easier ride this season, but instead endured a difficult start to the campaign that saw them languishing just above the relegation zone in October.
Things finally came to a head following a 4-0 defeat at home to Chesterfield amidst fan unrest, as manager Phil Brown was relieved of his duties moments after the final whistle with the side above the bottom three on goal difference only.
Coming in as his replacement was Kevin Maher, a club legend as a player with two promotions and over 450 appearances, for his first managerial role having previously been a coach at Bristol Rovers.
He endured a tricky start to his reign at Roots Hall with just one win and four defeats in his first five National League games, before a 2-1 win away at Altrincham in late November sparked a remarkable turnaround in form for the south coast side.
The team would go on to lose just one of their next 16 league games, including a 13-game unbeaten run, to surge up the league table. So remarkable was their turnaround that at one stage even a late push for the play-off places looked a distinct possibility.
That recent run of defeats, to Dagenham, Maidenhead, Yeovil and Notts County look to have put an end to that for this season at least. They do, however, now sit 19 points clear of the relegation zone and will be looking to finish the campaign strongly, with Shrimpers fans finally having reason to be optimistic about the future after several years of decline.
One(s) to watch:
Two of Southend’s front men will be familiar to County fans, with forwards Sam Dalby and Harry Cardwell both spending time on loan at Edgeley Park last season.
Former Watford striker Dalby is Southend’s top goalscorer in the National League this season with nine, whilst Cardwell has scored twice in seven appearances since joining in January. Although Harry has been out recently through injury, making just one sub appearance in the last eight games, the Scot is believed to be close to a return to the first team.
Match Stats:
- This will be the 30th competitive meeting between County and Southend, with The Shrimpers winning 11 to our ten. We last completed the league double in this fixture in the 1977/78 season.
- Under Dave Challinor, we are unbeaten in all 15 of our games at Edgeley Park, winning 13 of them. It is our longest unbeaten run at home in all competitions since a 17-game-run in 2018/19.
- National League Player of the Month Paddy Madden has scored four and assisted three in his last five National League games. He will be looking for his 20th goal of the season in all competitions on Saturday.
