Southend United will be bidding to make it three National League victories in a row when they welcome Wealdstone to Roots Hall on Tuesday night.
The Essex outfit will enter the contest off the back of a 1-0 victory at Eastleigh, which moved them into 12th spot in the table, while 13th-placed Wealdstone beat Chelmsford City 1-0 in the FA Trophy on Saturday.
Match preview
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Southend's financial issues saw them hit with a 10-point deduction earlier this season, and the club were seemingly facing a bleak future, but it would be fair to say that the atmosphere has now changed.
Australian Justin Rees is heading a consortium which is set to take over the club in the near future, and at the end of December, it was announced that the Blues were free to sign players for the first time since September 2022, with their transfer embargo being lifted.
For much of this season, Kevin Maher has had to operate with a squad of 12 players, but the head coach has now signed a new contract and has been boosting the squad in January.
Southend will enter this match off the back of successive victories over Halifax Town and Eastleigh, with the results moving them into 12th position in the table, just seven points outside of the playoffs, and it would not be a shock to see them move up the division in the coming weeks.
The Blues have the fourth-best home record in the league this season, picking up 27 points from 13 matches, while Wealdstone have struggled on their travels, collecting only eight points from 13 games.
Wealdstone were in FA Trophy action on Saturday not far from Southend, recording a 1-0 victory over Chelmsford to advance to the fifth round of the competition.
The Stones were last in league action on January 6, suffering a 2-0 defeat at Ebbsfleet United, and they currently sit in 13th spot in the table, one point behind Southend with two games in hand.
Stuart Maynard's side finished 13th in the National League last season, and they will need to improve their away form in the second half of the campaign to stand a chance of moving closer to the playoffs.
Indeed, Wealdstone have the second-worst record on their travels, but they have picked up 25 points from 12 home fixtures, recording seven wins and suffering just one defeat in the process.
Southend actually have the second-best defensive record in the league this term, conceding just 28 times, while Wealdstone have only managed to find the back of the net on 34 occasions.
Team News
Southend boss Maher made two changes to his starting side at Eastleigh, with new loan signing Marcus Dackers featuring in the final third, and he should again start alongside Henry Sandat in this contest.
On Saturday, Maher was able to name five substitutes for the first time this season, and with no fresh injury problems, that should again be the case in this match.
James Morton will be pushing to return to the midfield, but there might be another start for Cav Miley, with the home side potentially unchanged from the side that started at Eastleigh, as leading goalscorer Harry Cardwell is still absent due to a knee problem.
As for Wealdstone, head coach Maynard will make changes to the side that took to the field for the first whistle against Chelmsford in the FA Trophy on Saturday.
Sean Adarkwa started on the bench against Chelmsford, but he is set to return to the XI for this match.
Jack Cook was also left out of the starting side for the team's last match, but the 30-year-old should also return, while Maynard will need to make checks on a couple of players carrying knocks.
Southend possible starting lineup:
Andeng Ndi; Scott-Morriss, Taylor, Kensdale, Ralph; Bridge, Husin, Miley, Fonguck; Sandat, Dackers
Wealdstone possible starting lineup:
Dewhurst; Mundle-Smith, Cook, Barker, Ilunga; Kretzschmar, Bowen, Charles, Henry; Adarkwa, Obiero
We say: Southend United 2-0 Wealdstone
The feel-good factor is back at Southend, and the home side will be expecting to win on Tuesday. Maher now has options, which has not been the case for so long, and we are backing the Essex team to secure all three points in relatively routine fashion.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
