By Paul Camillin

 

Micky Adams tonight revealed how a dressing-room dressing down fired up Albion for the second half at Southend.

 

The Seagulls were second best in the first half at Roots Hall, but his side turned things round after the interval with Glenn Murray and Nicky Forster firing Albion to victory.

 

The Albion boss explained, "I was disappointed at half-time. I have not lost my temper too many times since I have been back at this football club but at half-time I had to have a few words because I felt that we were being outbattled and that we were too deep as a unit.

 

"We could not get any sort of passing game going and we couldn't get any sort of quality ball up to our two. I felt that their front two were causing us all sorts of problems. We addressed that in the second half.

"Eventually, we stood up to their pressure and we smashed another hoodoo, which is fantastic for the players and they deserve all of the plaudits that they are going to get as that was the toughest test that we could have encountered this early in the season."

 

A red card for Southend's Franck Moussa gave Albion a numerical advantage midway through the second half, but home boss Steve Tilson felt the dismissal was harsh. Adams had some sympathy for his managerial colleague.

 

"I saw a coming together of two players and whether that warranted a straight red I'm not too sure, but I was sat on the sidelines looking at my player rather than what their player has done. Steve will be disappointed with the sending off because it obviously had a massive effect on the outcome of the game.

 

"It was pleasing when we got that first goal because sometimes it can be very difficult against ten men, as we all know. It is never easy, they find renewed energy and belief and a fighting spirit, but we got the goals at the right times.

 

"It was fantastic to see Glenn Murray get off the mark. He is a great pro and it is always nice when your front two score goals and when they do we have a chance of winning games of football, so seeing Glenn slot that one home relieved a lot of pressure, but having said that they came straight back at us and Tommy Elphick made a fantastic clearance off the line.

 

"Once again that was down to us dropping too deep, that is nerves but then we went up the other end and Fozzie got his trademark goal so I was delighted with everybody really. It was a fantastic performance. Top for 24 hours is fantastic and feels great."

 

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