SOUTHEND United surged back to winning ways with a 2-0 victory at Yeovil Town this afternoon.

The Shrimpers went into the game having been beaten in their last seven games.

But goals from Jake Hyde and substitute Rhys Murphy – with his first touch – saw Blues get back to winning ways against a Glovers side who were reduced to 10 men late on.

Relegation threatened Yeovil were on top early on and wasted a good chance to go in front when Scott Pollock wrestled his way into the left hand side of the penalty area before seeing his shot well saved by Blues goalkeeper Collin Andeng Ndi.

Blues replied with a deep right wing corner from Cav Miley which dropped to Louis Lomas who saw his low, left footed shot blocked the legs of Yeovil goalkeeper Grant Smith.

But, with 24 minutes on the clock, the Shrimpers went in front when a left wing cross from Nathan Ralph was headed back across goal by Gus Scott-Morriss.

Yeovil skipper Josh Staunton just beat Harry Cardwell to the ball but Hyde reacted quickly to the rebound and fired home a well-taken left footed shot from 12 yards out.

Moments later, a stretching Cardwell headed a deep right wing cross from Scott-Morriss over the crossbar but Yeovil stood firm and came close to equalising on the stroke of half-time when Pollock sent Jordan Maguire-Drew’s free-kick against the foot of the left post.

Yeovil made a change at the break with Alex Fisher replacing Clarke but the replacement striker suffered what appeared to be a serious injury early in the second half.

A sliding Andeng Ndi won the ball before colliding with Fisher who had treatment on the pitch for more than five minutes before being stretchered off.

Once play resumed, Yeovil came close to drawing back level when Maguire-Drew’s right wing corner picked out Staunton whose downward header was somehow kept in stunning fashion by Andeng Ndi low down to his right hand side.

After surviving the scare, Blues wasted a decent chance to make it 2-0 as Cardwell fired over from just inside the penalty area after an attempted Yeovil clearance had hit Cav Miley and rolled into the path of the striker.

Shortly after the missed opportunity, the Shrimpers made a double change owith Callum Powell replacing Hyde in attack and Wes Fonguck replacing Jon Benton in midfield.

But Yeovil remained on top with Owen Bevan heading over a right wing corner from Maguire-Drew before Staunton fired over from 25 yards.

However, the Glovers’ hopes of comeback suffered a blow in the 83rd minute when Miguel Freckleton was shown a second yellow card after bringing down Powell just outside the penalty area.

Powell saw the subsequent free-kick blocked by the Yeovil wall but the hosts soon replied with Pollock seeing a low shot cleared just in front of goal by Kensdale.

Blues replied by making their final change of the afternoon in the 90th minute as Rhys Murphy replaced Cardwell in attack.

And, just seconds after his introduction, Murphy doubled the Shrimpers’ lead with his first touch.

A right wing cross from Scott-Morriss found Powell whose downward header was tipped onto the crossbar by Smith but Murphy was well placed to volley home the rebound from close range.

The Shrimpers comfortably saw the closing stages during 11 minutes of stoppage time and threatened a third goal late on with Fonguck and Powell both firing straight at Smith from 20 yards.

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