SOUTHEND United let slip a two goal lead to slump to a depressing 4-2 defeat at Swindon Town this afternoon.

The Shrimpers scored twice inside the opening 13 minutes at a wet County Ground, with new boy Tyrone Barnett and Adam Thompson both on target.

But the Robins hit back to secure all three points as Blues sunk to a third successive defeat for the first time since September 2013.

Despite the defeat, Southend dominated the opening exchanges and they opened the scoring after just five minutes, following some calamitous Swindon defending.

Goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux put Raphael Rosse-Branco with a short clearance before his rushed pass to Drissa Traore was won back by Ryan Leonard.

The Shrimpers midfielder immediately rolled the ball into the path of Barnett who strode forward before blasting a confident 20 yard shot low into the bottom left hand corner of the net.

Southend stayed on top after the goal with Noel Hunt heading a right wing cross from David Worrall over the crossbar before Worrall saw a long range shot tipped over by Vigouroux.

But Phil Brown’s side were not to be denied a second goal for long as they doubled their lead in the 13th minute, with Thompson on target.

The centre-back was picked out by a right wing free-kick from Ben Coker and netted with a firm downward header from six yards.

Shell-shocked Swindon soon hit back with Jonathan Obika unleashing a deflected 20 yard shot just inches over the crossbar and, just moments later, the striker saw an eight yard volley impressively kept out by Daniel Bentley.

The Shrimpers shot-stopper then also did well to block a low effort from Joran Turnbull before his opposite number Vigouroux denied Michael Timlin at the other end of the pitch.

The save kept Swindon in the game and, with 42 minutes on the clock, they halved Southend’s lead when Nicky Ajose fired home from six yards after Bentley had done well to keep out another effort from Obika.

But the Robins remained on top and netted again before the break with Obika volleying home from close range after more sloppy defending from the Shrimpers.

After the break, Blues came close to regaining the lead when Gary Deegan flashed a left footed shot inches wide of the left post However, the tough tackling Irishman then made way for Kevan Hurst in the 65th minute before David Mooney replaced Hunt in attack five minutes later.

But, despite the changes, Swindon stayed on top and completed their comeback in the 78th minute, with Obika bagging his second of the afternoon.

The striker strode forward from just inside the Southend half and, with the Blues defence backing off, he sent a low shot into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

Shrimpers boss Brown responded by bringing Will Atkinson on for Timlin.

But the substitute’s error in the last minute allowed Ajose to race clean through on goal before beating Bentley with an assured finish to complete a thoroughly miserable afternoon for Blues who have now conceded 11 goals in three games.