Soccer/English League Cup: Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson suffered one of his most embarrassing defeats last night when Southend, the Championship's bottom club, beat them and often outplayed them in this English League Cup fourth-round tie.
There was always the chance of a hangover the day after Ferguson celebrated 20 years in charge at Old Trafford, with some former managers and players not necessarily renowned for their teetotalism, and Freddie Eastwood provided the Scot with another headache for last night's trip back to Manchester.
The way Southend played in the first half, in which Jamal Campbell-Ryce was outstanding, must have worried Ferguson as much as it delighted the former Southend player and then manager Peter Taylor, now in charge at Crystal Palace and present in the stand last night.
Victory in the League Cup last season was United's only silverware in two seasons and Ferguson, perhaps remembering last month's scare at Crewe, included Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo in his line-up. Midfielder David Jones was the only non-international in the side.
Southend were without Matt Harrold, cup-tied after playing for Yeovil at Southampton, and their centre-back Adam Barrett, who failed a fitness test. But they did have the leading scorer Eastwood in their ranks. His form - nine goals this season with three in two League Cup games - has already caught the eye of Aston Villa's manager Martin O'Neill.
Southend were good value for their half-time lead, courtesy of the first goal they have ever scored against a Premierhip club.
Southend started quickly, Campbell-Ryce was so pacy and threatening on the right flank after a while he appeared to feel sorry for the left-back Gabriel Heinze and decided to torment the right-back John O'Shea instead. Campbell-Ryce presented his credentials as early as the third minute when he made swift progress down the right before passing inside to Gary Hooper, who narrowly failed to find Eastwood. A minute later Cambell-Ryce's cross was just too high for Hooper and then the winger crossed dangerously once more only for Eastwood to have his effort blocked.
But it was the poise and balance of Eastwood that created more problems for United and in the 27th minute the forward gave the Blues the lead. Campbell-Ryce was fouled by Jones as he made yet another raid and Eastwood's free-kick from 25 yards flew past the groping left arm of Tomasz Kuszczak.
United almost hit back immediately when Jones hit a post but Southend led at the interval.
Ferguson's decision to rest Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs had left his bench looking a little callow, and he was short of options when United failed to make progress early in the second half. There was more frustration, too, when Rooney was booked by the referee Uriah Rennie for a foul on the goalkeeper in the 55th minute, and yet more soon after when the same goalkeeper produced a flying finger-tip save to tip Ronaldo's free-kick over the bar.
This was the second time Ronaldo had been defeated by Flahavan's athleticism. Alan Smith had made no impact as Rooney's partner and was taken off for Patrice Evra. Then, in the 75th minute, a flummoxed Ferguson took O'Shea off for Kieran Lee.
SOUTHEND UNITED: Flahavan, Clarke, Prior, Hunt (Francis, 14), Sodje, Hammell, Hooper (Lawson, 67), Campbell-Ryce, Gower, Maher, Eastwood. Subs not used: Moussa, Wilson, Cole. Goal: Eastwood 27
Manchester United: Kuszczak, O'Shea (Lee, 74), Brown, Silvestre, Heinze, Richardson, D Jones (Shawcross, 90), Fletcher, Ronaldo, Rooney, Smith (Evra, 60). Subs not used: Heaton, Rose.
Referee: Uriah Rennie
