Southend United left it very late at Boston United on Saturday, but substitute Sahid Kamara’s stoppage-time strike earned a 2–1 win that keeps Kieron Dyer’s side third in the Enterprise National League.
It was a game that started badly for the Shrimpers. Ollie Bostock gave Boston the lead inside the first minute, and Southend had to dig in. Promise Omochere equalised on 16 minutes, and the game appeared to be heading for a draw until Kamara struck from around 25 yards in the 94th minute.
The goal sent the 616 travelling Southend supporters in a crowd of 2,195 at the Jakemans Community Stadium into celebration. It also gave Southend back-to-back league wins, and their recent form now reads two wins, a draw and a defeat from their last four.
Kamara’s moment of quality came off the bench, and it was a reminder of the depth in Dyer’s squad. The winner was all the more valuable because of results elsewhere. Boreham Wood won at Sutton on Friday night and Harrogate Town won at Woking on Saturday, so dropping points at Boston would have allowed the leading pack to pull further clear.
Southend now have 27 points from 13 games, one point behind second-placed Harrogate and eight behind leaders Boreham Wood. Their 31 league goals is the third-highest total in the division, behind only Boreham Wood and Yeovil Town, and their attack has been one of the main reasons they are firmly in the promotion picture.
The Shrimpers have won eight, drawn three and lost two of their league games so far. With automatic promotion available only to the champions, and the play-offs covering second to seventh, a top-three position at this stage of the season is a strong platform.
There is now a break from league action. Southend host Berkhamsted in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round on Saturday 17 October, with a place in the first round proper at stake. On paper it is a favourable draw, but Dyer will be wary of any complacency.
The league programme resumes the following Saturday, 24 October, when FC Halifax Town visit. The Shaymen arrive in good form after a 4–1 win over Gateshead, their third victory in four games, and they have the joint third-best defensive record in the league. Southend then travel to Worthing on Tuesday 27 October, a meeting of two sides in the play-off places.
It is a demanding run, but Southend have shown they can grind out results as well as play attractive football. Saturday’s comeback at Boston was the kind of win that promotion-chasing sides need. With Omochere and Kamara both among the goals, Dyer has options in attack.
Late goals, a large travelling support and a place in the top three: it was a good weekend to be a Southend United supporter, and the challenge now is to build on it.
Roots Hall has been Southend United’s home since 1955, tucked into terraced streets off Victoria Avenue (SS2 6NQ). It is a compact, old-fashioned four-sided ground: close to the pitch, covered on every side, and still unmistakably a football ground rather than a bowl. Official capacity is listed at 12,392, though safety limits usually sit lower. Visiting supporters are housed in the Solopress North Bank, behind the northern goal.
The North Bank is a former terrace with seats bolted on and a distinctive barrel roof. That roof and the low, tight stand help even a modest away following make a noise, but the trade-off is real: supporting pillars across the front, modest leg room, and rows that feel closer together than in a modern bowl. A scoreboard sits on the roof above you. For bigger followings the club can give over more of the stand, and sometimes adjoining blocks in the north-west corner, so check your ticket for the exact blocks (often NA–NF, and Y/Z when demand is high).
Access is not through the main car-park frontage. Away fans approach via Victoria Avenue, then follow the fenced path around the outside of the car park, or enter from Fairfax Drive. Turnstiles 13–16 serve the North Bank. Tickets are usually sold through your own club, scanned on the gate, and the stadium is cashless, so bring a card. Bag searches are routine. There is no proper concourse in the away end: expect a small “transport café” style kiosk with pies, burgers and hot drinks, plus compact toilets. Alcohol is not generally served to away fans in the seating area.
Opposite you is the two-tier South Stand, the newest of the four, rebuilt in the mid-1990s after the Stan Collymore transfer. The upper tier is often praised for the view; the lower tier forms part of the family enclosure. Along the right-hand touchline (as you look from the North Bank) is the East Stand, the main stand, with dugouts, tunnel, directors’ box, press seats and hospitality. Along the left is the Gilbert & Rose West Stand, the largest side of the ground, with a double-barrel roof and family blocks towards one end. All four stands sit close to the pitch, so the game feels near even when pillars get in the way.
Parking on site behind the North Stand is limited and charged on matchdays; street parking in the surrounding estate fills early and can be tight. Prittlewell station is the nearest rail stop, a short walk; Southend Victoria is a little further. Pre-match, many away groups use pubs on Victoria Avenue or in town rather than relying on the ground. The Shrimpers Bar in the East Stand has sometimes admitted visiting fans, but that is at the club’s discretion and should not be assumed.
Stewarding is generally straightforward. Views from the North Bank are mixed: central seats look straight down the pitch at the southern goal, but pillars and the low roof can clip the near goal and the far corners. If you prefer a side-on view you will not get one from the away allocation. Dress for Essex weather: the barrel roof keeps rain off but the stand can feel cold and draughty. Arrive early enough to find the path, clear the search, and get food before kick-off — the kiosk queue is the social hub of the away end.
Roots Hall will not impress anyone hunting for wide concourses or unobstructed sightlines. What it does offer visiting supporters is a proper, enclosed English ground, a noisy end behind the goal, and a short walk from the streets of Southend. Treat the pillars as part of the furniture, keep your ticket handy for the right turnstile, and you will be fine.