Maher Thinks Things Are Looking Up For Southend In 2025

Boxing Day’s 4-0 win over Ebbsfleet United took the club to within touching distance of the top half of the National League table.

It’s been a challenging year for the Essex club but with the club in new hands and just one defeat in six, the manager feels things are now heading in the right direction.

Bim Pepple shone again with two goals at Roots Hall in the club's final game of 2024 - and his Christmas double has Maher convinced they can keep climbing the table.

“I thought we played ever so well and looked like ourselves and what we’ve been like,” Maher told the club’s website. “It’s nice to get four goals, maybe we could’ve had one or two more but there were a couple that just didn’t sit for us.

“The second goal was important, just before half-time, because that took the stuffing out of them a little bit. All of them were good goals, I’ve got to say.

“We work on sustaining pressure in the final third and we haven’t always been great at that in all honesty but taking the shot at the right time is the most important thing.

“People look at Ebbsfleet’s position and think we should walk over them but that’s certainly not the case. Josh had them set up well but we got goals at important times.

“They’re well organised but it was nice to see us back to ourselves. The big highlight but the three points and the clean sheet are really pleasing of course, we go and build on it now.”