SOUTHEND United manager Mark Molesley has explained why he made just one enforced substitution against Grimsby Town on Saturday.

Alan McCormack replaced the injured James Olayinka in the first half at Blundell Park.

But Molesley opted to make no further changes with Kyle Taylor among those staying on the bench.

"KT will need to build his fitness back up," explained Molesley.

"He was out for some time so we need to be careful there and it was quite an energy sapping pitch at Grimsby too.

"It was heavy and I just felt the players out there were getting used to it.

"It would’ve been tough to throw someone in off the bench in those circumstances.

"Our players were in the heat of the battle and knew where the pitch was sticky and heavy.

"I just felt the longer the game went on the better we were playing the pitch."