Southend United v FC Halifax Town preview

Venue: Roots Hall

Date: Saturday, January 6

Kick-off: 3pm

Referee: Paul Johnson showed 35 yellow cards and two red cards in seven games last season. This will be his first time officiating an FC Halifax Town game.

Odds: Southend Evens, draw 5/2, Halifax 14/5

In the league this season

Southend: PL25 W11 D5 L9 F40 A28 GD12 Pts28

Halifax: PL26 W10 D10 L6 F30 A24 GD6 Pts40

Last five games

Southend: Hampton and Richmond (FAT h) D 2-2 (lost on penalties), Bromley (h) L 2-1, Kidderminster (a) W 2-1, Barnet (h) L 2-0, Barnet (a) L 1-0

Halifax: Altrincham (FAT h) D 0-0 (lost on penalties), Gateshead (a) W 2-0, Rochdale (h) D 2-2, Altrincham (a) W 2-1, Altrincham (h) D 0-0

Scorers

Southend: Cardwell (12), Bridge (5), Kanu (4), Coker (4), Husin (3), Ralph (2), Fonguck (2), Powell (2), Wood (2), Mooney, Kabongolo,

Halifax: Alli (7) Harker (4), Senior (4), Hoti (2), Cosgrave (2), Thomson-Sommers, Evans, Cummings, Summerfield, Keane, Cappello, Golden, Wright, Hunter, Stott, Cooke

Manager: Kevin Maher is a Southend United legend. Maher made more than 400 appearances for Southend as a player, going on to play for Oldham, Gillingham and Dagenham and Redbridge. Has previously been under 21 manager at Southend, but replaced ex-Halifax player Phil Brown as manager at Roots Hall in October 2021, leaving his coaching role at Bristol Rovers, and guided the club away from the relegation zone and comfortably into mid-table. Narrowly missed out on guiding them into the play-offs last season.

Last season: 8th in National League

One to watch: Fans' favourite Jack Bridge is a key man for Southend. The midfielder first joined the club as a nine-year-old and has played in the Football League for Northampton and Carlisle. The wing-back has signed a new contract to stay at the club and will be a vital player as they look to establish a brighter future for themselves

Head-to-head: Played 51, Southend wins 25, draws 13, Halifax wins 13

Last time they met: The teams drew 1-1 at The Shay in September, with Adam Senior cancelling out Wes Fonguck's opener.

Match facts: Halifax have the best defensive record in the National League this season, conceding just 24 goals - four better than the second best record, which belongs to Southend.

The Shaymen have the best defensive record on the road in the league this season, conceding just 12 goals, but Southend have the best home defensive record, conceding only 11.

Only three teams in the fifth tier have won more away games this season than Halifax (6), but only three sides have won more home games in the division than Southend (8).

Halifax have not conceded more than once in an away game in their last eight matches on the road.

Southend have not kept a clean sheet in their last nine matches having kept four clean sheets in a row before then.

Saturday's National League fixtures:

Southend v Halifax

Altrincham v Barnet

Ebbsfleet v Wealdstone

Maidenhead v Bromley

Rochdale v Kidderminster

Hartlepool v Oxford C

Dorking W v Oldham

Solihull M v Woking