Shrimpers back on track
Promotion-chasing Southend ended their mid-season stutter in impressive fashion with a 4-1 victory at 10-man AFC Wimbledon.
Ryan Hall brought the visitors level before an own goal from Jamie Stuart, a Mark Phillips header and a lob from Neil Harris - who had seen his second-minute penalty saved - ended a four-match losing streak for the Shrimpers in all competitions and clinched their first win in seven attempts.
Jack Midson had initially opened the scoring for the Dons, who were ultimately overrun after the break following Christian Jolley's dismissal just before half-time and went on to taste a fifth successive defeat of their own.
Southend wasted a golden opportunity to take the lead when Harris' penalty was saved by Seb Brown and the home side took the lead five minutes later as Midson pounced on a Phillips clearance to slide home the opener.
The scores were level on the half hour when Brown tipped Shrimpers full-back Sean Clohessy's cross into the path of Hall and he notched home.
There was still time for Jolley to receive a straight red card for a two-footed lunge on Michael Timlin before the break.
The visitors got the killer second goal after 51 minutes when Stuart deflected a Timlin effort into his own net and the game was settled by further efforts from Phillips and Harris.
AFC Wimbledon 1-4 Southend: Match Report - view commentary, squad, and statictics of the game as it happened.
Source: PA
