THE outcome may have been the same for Southend United on Saturday as they made it four wins in a row with a 2-1 triumph against York City.

But the manner of the victory and the level of the performance was in complete contrast to the three wins that had come before seeing off the Minstermen at Roots Hall.

Those trio of triumphs had come in matches the Shrimpers had been able to dominate and dictate as they strolled through, largely untroubled, to secure the three points.

However, that was far from the case against York at the weekend as the visitors recovered from a shaky start – during which Kevan Hurst put Southend in front – to enjoy long periods of possession and pressure.

Daniel Bentley was therefore forced to make a fine double save in the first half, before York hit the post and were then denied by Bentley again in the second period.

Blues were definitely not at their best but were still able to grind out the result, thanks to their work ethic and tremendous will to win.

Those battling qualities would have delighted Blues boss Phil Brown and also bode well for the remainder of an incredibly close League Two season.

But Saturday’s showdown again also demonstrated the importance of keeping your discipline in the division this season.

Hurst’s dismissal, which came at the start of the second half, was soft but also needless and put the team in an unnecessarily tough position.

Similarly, Blues’ late winner came after York striker Rob Bowman had received a costly red card which clearly still infuriated his manager, Nigel Worthington, at the final whistle.

The officials seem to be far more card happy this season and there have now been 12 dismissals in the 20 matches the Shrimpers have played so far during the current campaign.

That stresses the importance of keeping calm and maintaining your composure to increase the chances of coming out on top.

Hurst’s dismissal did not prove too costly against York but his resulting suspension, which means he will miss tomorrow’s match at Portsmouth, could prove key as the in-form winger’s creative qualities will be sorely missed.

The small size of the Shrimpers’ squad also means any suspensions will hit them hard and soft dismissals therefore need to be avoided if Southend are to maintain the recent momentum and continue their push for promotion.

But Saturday’s win and the timing of Luke Prosser’s decisive goal enhanced the belief and the improving feel good factor around the football club right now.

A crowd of more than 9,000 also added to that due to ticket prices being reduced to just £5.

And while the bumper crowd may have witnessed Blues not at their best there was no lack of drama as their team still found a way to come out on top.

Brown and his managerial team will now be plotting ways to get the Shrimpers back to their dominant selves in time for tomorrow’s tough looking trip to Portsmouth.

Yet it could well be that the absence of the injured Ryan Leonard, who suffered a hamstring problem on the eve of Saturday’s game, is a major reason behind the less impressive display against York.

Leonard has become an incredibly influential member of the side this season with his energy levels and drives forward often setting the tempo for the rest of the team.

He will therefore be sorely missed during his absence especially as the midfielder’s replacement at the weekend – Marc Laird – is still trying to find his best form after recovering from knee and ankle injuries.

Blues – just like Laird – are also now desperate to improve but winning when not at their best will have done them good at the weekend.

The Shrimpers remain just three points off the top of the table and there is a growing feeling that the team could stay in contention for promotion this season, especially if they start to keep 11 men on the pitch on a far more regular basis.