Football: Angell clips West Ham's wings

Southend United. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

West Ham United. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

BARRY FRY, never one to conceal his true feelings, cavorted deliriously on the pitch with every one of his Southend players last night after Essex Man had put one over the pride of the East End. On his 48th birthday Fry for once was delighted to have Stan on his side, Collymore helping to banish the memory of Flashman and his frustrations at Barnet.

So that is now two wins out of two since Fry left a promotion challenge from the Third Division for a survival struggle in the First and on his first appearance at Roots Hall his new charges did him proud and then some more besides.

'Tremendous, fantastic,' said Fry, who has a large bet riding on West Ham's promotion but nevertheless was delighted to weaken his own chances of collecting and his opponents' chances of gaining the second automatic promotion place.

At the other end Southend stay one off the bottom but they have a spirit and a willingness to work for each other that could yet take them out of danger.

Fry had 11 heroes but none more heroic than Collymore, the striker with a growing Premier League fan club, and Simon Royce, the reserve goalkeeper making his first appearance of the season, who was defiant at the height of West Ham's comeback attempt.

Colin Foster, another stand- in, showed his ability in the air early on in the visitors' attack while Collymore's best work came on the ground. Collecting a pass from Keith Jones in the 32nd minute, he rounded Steve Potts with consummate ease and delivered the perfect cross between goalkeeper and defenders for Brett Angell to drive home off the underside of the bar.

Foster, the target for a welter of crosses, was wasteful nine minutes into the second half when he tried to square his header to David Speedie instead of going for goal. Ten minutes later he had sights only for the target but headed down and wide.

'Miracles do happen, what a birthday present,' Fry exulted. 'That is all I wanted. Sometimes I feel 90 but tonight I feel 15 again.' Billy Bonds was feeling somewhat less chipper. 'It was a disappointing outcome when we needed a result,' he said. 'Collymore really did us.'

Southend United: Royce; Edwards, Powell, Jones, Scully, Prior, Ansah, Smith, Tilson, Collymore, Angell. Substitutes not used: Sussex, Hall.

West Ham United: Miklosko; Breacker, Dicks, Potts, Gale, Bishop, Robson, Butler, Speedie, Foster, Keen. Substitutes not used: Brown, Holmes.

Referee: I Borrett (Harleston, Norfolk).

A hat-trick from Kevin Keegan's latest acquisition, pounds 1.75m striker Andy Cole, spurred Newcastle United to a

6-0 win at home to Barnsley last night, the First Division leaders' biggest win of the season. John Beresford and Scott Sellars scored their first goals for the home club in the second half.

An 89th-minute winner from Steve Walsh last night enabled Leicester City to collect three valuable promotion points at Filbert Street via a 2-1 win over Oxford United. Steve Thompson opened the scoring with an early penalty before Mike Ford headed an equaliser on the stroke of half- time.