Lewes are dangerous up top — José Pérez and Ji-Hun Woo-young will cause problems all afternoon, and Southend's backline doesn't fill me with confidence. But Amara in goal is a wall, and he'll keep Spartans — sorry, Shrimpers — in it when it matters.

Southend have the home advantage and the attacking infrastructure to make this uncomfortable for Lewes, but Pérez and Woo-young give them enough firepower up top to punish any defensive lapses — and Hoshizawa at the back looks like the weak link they'll target. I'd expect Southend to control large stretches of this game without ever quite finishing the job, which is becoming something of a habit for mid-table sides who rely too heavily on set-piece chaos. A draw is the honest result, even if it flatters Lewes slightly.