NINE-MAN Southend United slumped to a painful 3-0 defeat at York City this afternoon.

The Shrimpers had both Harry Taylor and Gus Scott-Morriss sent off in the second half during a calamitous afternoon which again emphasised the depth of the club’s crisis.

Blues remain at the foot of the National League table after being docked 10 points for financial irregularities.

And boss Kevin Maher currently has just 12 players available for Tuesday's match with Maidenhead United.

Despite the disappointment, the Shrimpers registered the game’s first shot on target with Noor Husin firing straight at York goalkeeper Ryan Whitley from 20 yards and it was the visitors who looked the more composed early on.

York’s tentative passing out from the back seemed to offer the Shrimpers hope but the hosts opened the scoring, completely out of the blue, with Thierry Latty-Fairweather on target from long range.

The full-back cut in from the left hand side and sent a stunning 30 yard into top right hand corner of the net.

In reply, Callum Powell raced in behind ex Blues defender Tyler Cordner before seeing his shot blocked by the advancing Whitley.

And, on the stroke of half-time, Shrimpers midfielder Wes Fonguck saw a curling 20 yard shot pushed wide of the right post by Whitley.

After the break, Powell had a deflected effort diverted wide of the opposite upright by Whitley before the hosts hit back with Lenell John-Lewis heading over a fine left wing cross from Kai Kennedy.

York then had strong shouts for a penalty waved away after Taylor seemed to pull down Dipo Akinyemi before a brilliant sliding challenge from Jason Demetriou stopped Maz Kouhyar making it 2-0.

Blues replied with Harry Cardwell having a low well kept out down to his left hand side by Whitley but, with play switching back to the other end of the field, Latty-Fairweather saw a well-struck pushed wide of the left post by Andeng Ndi.

However, the Shrimpers’ hopes of getting back into the game suffered a huge blow in the 74th minute when Taylor was shown an incredibly soft red card after referee Paul Cooper adjudged him to have illegally stopped Dipo Akinyemi racing onto a long through ball.

York immediately made the most of their extra man with Maz Kouhyar firing home a right wing cross from Zanda Siziba from close range.

And, in the 86th minute, City made it 3-0 as Siziba was on target himself as he fired an excellent left wing cross from Akinyemi.

The afternoon became even more painful just two minutes later when Scott-Morriss was shown a red card for an off the ball incident.

Protesting Blues fans consequently spilled onto the pitch chanting for chairman Martin to leave the club and the match was stopped for close to two minutes before being ushered away.

However, the remaining supporters chanted proudly for their team in moving fashion late on and after the final whistle during yet another dark day in the club’s history.