THREE goals in the last eight minutes handed Southend United a dramatic 3-0 win against local rivals Colchester at Roots Hall this afternoon.

The bottom of the table U’s had midfielder Alex Gilbey sent off for a poor challenge on Ryan Leonard after 36 minutes.

But Phil Brown’s side struggled to make the breakthrough until the closing stages when Anthony Wordsworth, Adam Barrett and Sam McQueen all netted in quick succession.

Blues, who have now won their last three games, came close to opening the scoring with Leonard’s long throw from the right hand side dropped to Stephen Hendrie whose low, left footed shot struck the outside of the left post.

Colchester soon hit back with former Shrimpers trialist Owen Garvan shooting straight at Daniel Bentley from 20 yards and, just past the half hour mark, the visitors almost broke the deadlock when Richard Brindley’s right wing cross was tipped onto the crossbar by a back-pedalling Bentley.

But the U’s hopes of remaining on top were hit by a red card to Gilbey in the 36th minute.

The highly rated midfielder jumped into a two-footed challenge on Leonard and was immediately sent off by referee Oliver Langford.

Bidding to make the most of the extra man, Blues’ McQueen soon slashed a right footed shot wide of the right post before Jack Payne saw a well struck shot parried to safety by U’s goalkeeper Elliott Parrish.

That ensured the game remained goalless at the break when the Shrimpers were forced into making their first change of the afternoon as Glen Kamara came on to replace Leonard who was injured by the challenge which led to Gilbey’s dismissal.

After the break, Luke O’Neill sent a deflected volley inches wide of the left post before Blues made their second change of the afternoon in the 61st minute with Wordsworth replacing Adam Thompson.

The substitution saw the Shrimpers revert to four at the back and handed Wordsworth’s his first appearance since suffering an ankle injury in late October.

A third alteration followed for Blues in the 74th minute with David Worrall coming on for Will Atkinson and, moments after the change, Barnett fired straight at Parrish from 25 yards.

But, with eight minutes remaining, the Shrimpers made the breakthrough with Wordsworth slamming home a low, left footed shot from 25 yards.

The strike sparked some wild celebrations from the capacity crowd before Barrett doubled Blues’ lead just six minutes later when the stand in skipper headed home Payne’s right wing corner.

And Southend piled more misery on their relegation threatened rivals when McQueen tapped home into a gaping goal after Brindley’s tackle on Payne rolled perfectly into the youngster’s path.