Southend United 2, Torquay United 1 (From Echo)

Southend United 2, Torquay United 1

4:58pm Saturday 4th September 2010 in

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SCREAMING first half strikes from Anthony Grant and Josh Simpson saw Southend United knock Torquay United off the top of the League Two table this afternoon.

The midfield duo both scored from long range as Blues triumphed 2-1 in a game of conflicting halves at Roots Hall.

Paul Sturrock’s side piled on the pressure during a dominant first 45 minutes against the previously unbeaten Gulls.

But the Devon side were on top after the break and almost levelled the scores late on as Blues nervously hung on to secure their first home league victory of the season.

They were sent on their way by Grant’s opening goal in the 15th minute when a right wing corner from Ryan Hall was cleared in to the path of the on-rushing Grant who instantly curled a fantastic 20 yard shot in to the top right hand corner of the South Stand net.

Prior to scoring at Bradford City last Friday, Grant had gone 79 games without a goal.

However he has now netted in his last two league outings and the midfielder was almost celebrating again in the 30th minute but his low 10 yard shot hit the foot of the left post.

Torquay were then also denied by the woodwork just four minutes before the break when Mark Ellis' left footed shot struck the outside of the left upright.

And Southend immediately made the most of the let off as they doubled their lead in fine fashion in the 43rd minute, with Simpson netting his first goal for Blues.

The midfielder, who is on loan from Peterborough United, charged through the centre of the park before unleashing a well struck 25 yard shot which flew in to the bottom right hand corner of the net.

At the start of the second period, Hall burst in to the box and had his shirt clearly pulled by Torquay right back Chris Robertson.

But Hall opted to stay on his feet and his subsequent low shot was scrambled away for a corner by Bevan.

From that flag-kick, taken by Soares, Chris Barker flicked the ball at the near post and Bilel Mohsni seemed set to score until Guy Branston intervened with a brave header.

In reply, a Chris Zebroski half volley flew inches wide of the left post after the striker had outmuscled Peter Gilbert and, in the 69th minute, a deflected effort from Kevin Nicolson hit the top of the crossbar as the Gulls began to push forward more regularly.

Eventually, the pressure paid off and Torquay got back in to the game in the 78th minute when Zebroski converted from 12 yards.

The striker reacted quickest after a tame shot from Martin Gritton had bounced back off the right post and drilled home a low, left footed shot.

The Gulls continued to push forward and should have soon equalised when Robertson burst down the right flank before teeing up Nick Wroe, but the Torquay skipper could only scuff his effort from 12 yards wide of the left post when he should have done better.

Carlisle then volleyed just inches past the right post from 25 yards and, in a bid to keep Torquay at bay, Sturrock sent on the experienced Graham Coughlan in the 86th minute and resorted to a five man defence.

Despite that the Gulls still almost equalised deep in to injury time when Ellis met a deep free-kick from Nicolson.

But the header was superbly saved low to his left by Glenn Morris and Southend held on to record a third successive victory.