Southend stun MK Dons as Henrik Larsson watches on

Posted Sunday, September 22, 2019 by PA

Southend recorded their first league win of the season courtesy of a hard-fought 1-0 victory over MK Dons.

Charlie Kelman netted his third goal of the season after just four minutes before the Blues stood firm to see out the victory, as Paul Tisdale’s side suffered their second successive league defeat.

Caretaker boss Gary Waddock’s men, in front of prospective new manager Henrik Larsson, stunned Stadium MK when Kelman capitalised on sloppy defending to tap home his first league goal of the season from inside the box.

The Dons were denied a leveller when Southend keeper Mark Oxley pulled off an impressive save to keep out Jordan Houghton’s free-kick.

The hosts’ expected second-half fightback did not kick into gear until five minutes from time as Waddock’s defence put in a shift to thwart every Dons attack.

David Kasumu saw his shot from the edge of the visitors’ box well saved by keeper Oxley, before Brennan Dickenson was denied by Nathan Ralph’s goal-line clearance.

Simon Cox smacked the post late on for the visitors, but the one goal proved enough as Southend’s winless league streak finally came to an end.