Southend United Ladies 2-0 Hutton: Mann starts with a win after Sheldrick leaves

Nick Sheldrick stepped down as Southend United Ladies manager with immediate effect on Friday 2 October for personal reasons. His assistant Daniel Mann, with coach Lee Skelton, took interim charge and began with a 2-0 win over bottom side Hutton at Garon Park.

Sheldrick had been appointed in November 2025 as the Ladies’ first paid manager. His spell included their first appearance at Roots Hall in May, when 3,055 people watched the 6-0 win over Colchester United. In his farewell post, he wrote “Family comes first”, said he had loved his time with Southend and wished the club well. Community Foundation chief executive Dale Spiby thanked him for his professionalism and commitment, while saying the club’s ambitions remained unchanged.

Maizie Kelly scored early; Sophie Stack’s header did not arrive until the 84th minute. Southend had lost their previous three matches, with league defeats against Enfield Town and Leyton Orient followed by the Histon cup exit. I welcome the win after that run. Hutton’s position still matters to my assessment: Southend were facing a side without a league point or goal, and a one-goal lead until six minutes from time leaves me cautious about how much has changed.

What the first half tells me

Mann restored Abbey Dell to the starting side, with Darcy Drewitt moving to the bench. Isobel Boyd and Reyes Humbles also came into the starting XI. Katie Burbridge, who discussed the team’s progress last week, was absent from the squad, as was Zoe Tryfonos. Niamh Carpenter was an unused substitute.

Robert Craven’s account has Dell and Hannah Stone shooting wide before Kelly curled her third goal of the season into the top-left corner. On this week’s podcast, Kelly’s form received particular praise. Captain Lauren Johnson and Georgia Hyland were finding space behind Hutton’s high line, bypassing the congested midfield.

That is the part of Mann’s first half I find encouraging: Southend had an answer when the middle was crowded. I cannot tell from Craven’s account whether Mann introduced that route or retained it, but the players were using it to create chances. Rachel Pearce tipped another Kelly effort wide before the break, and Southend went in 1-0 ahead.

The half-time changes supply the second

Stack and Drewitt both came on at half-time, with Stack playing further forward. They combined for the second goal: Drewitt’s right-wing corner found Stack for a header from four yards in the 84th minute. Stack had also supplied a cross from which Pearce denied Kelly at close range.

Tilly Jones, signed from Brentwood Town during the week, made her debut after 36 minutes, replacing Humbles.

Nine points, with Sudbury next

The Histon report left Southend needing to turn the promising passages Katie and Charlie had discussed into a league result. This win takes them to nine points from six games, fifth in Division One South. It was their second league clean sheet; goals scored and conceded now stand level at eight. Hutton’s table includes an awarded win for Toby Women, so their three recorded defeats are not three losses played on the pitch.

Southend visit AFC Sudbury Reserves on Sunday 11 October, with a 2pm kick-off at the Elite Travel Stadium. Sudbury are second with ten points from six matches and twenty goals scored. Sudbury lost 3-2 at Wormley Rovers on Sunday 4 October. I would put more weight on Southend’s performance against that opposition when judging the progress under Mann.

The trip begins five successive away games, including cup ties. Southend next play at Garon Park against AFC Welwyn on Sunday 22 November, with a 2pm kick-off. Applications for Sheldrick’s replacement close on Friday 16 October.

Match details

Score: Southend United Ladies 2-0 Hutton. Half-time: 1-0.

Competition: Eastern Region Women’s Football League, Division One South. Date: Sunday 4 October 2026, 2pm. Venue: Garon Park.

Goals: Maizie Kelly (first half); Sophie Stack (84). The club report gives both ninth- and eleventh-minute times for Kelly’s opener.

Southend XI: Molly Lee (GK), Georgia Hyland, Abbie Rex, Hannah Warner, Abbey Dell, Maizie Kelly, Amber Denton, Lauren Johnson (C), Isobel Boyd, Hannah Stone, Reyes Humbles.

Substitutions: Tilly Jones for Humbles (36); Stack for Dell (46); Drewitt for Stone (46); Jodie Murphy for Rex (72); Dell for Kelly (82); Stone for Boyd (82). Dell and Stone returned after being substituted at half-time. Unused: Niamh Carpenter.

Hutton XI: Ellie Baker, Alice Collings, Lois Dunbar, Daisy Leech, Mia Lempriere (C), Ava Little, Trixie Millington, Rachel Pearce, Olivia Pinington, Leah Pope, Leyla Soyer. Substitutes: Berrie Antoniou, Jessica Balbi, Daisy Schofield.

Officials: Tahir Eryilmaz, John Bryant, Christopher Hockett. Attendance: not published.

League records checked on 7 October 2026.