SOUTHEND United’s away day struggles continued with a 3-0 defeat at Rochdale this afternoon.

First half headers from Niall Canavan and Calvin Andrew and a late strike from Nathaniel Mendez-Laing secured Dale a sixth win in succession.

And the shot-shy Shrimpers never looked like troubling their in-form hosts as they sunk to a third resounding defeat in a row on the road.

After a quiet start to the game, Rochdale broke the deadlock in the 16th minute, with Canavan on target.

The Irish centre-back was picked out by an inviting right-wing free-kick from Joe Bunney and sent a firm header into the roof of the net from eight yards.

The Shrimpers almost hit back immediately when David Mooney fired home a rising right footed shot from 12 yards but the striker’s effort was ruled out for offside.

However, Rochdale had no such problems at the other of the field and doubled their lead in the 27th minute, with another header from a right wing cross.

This time Andrew was picked out by Joe Rafferty’s delivery and made no mistake with a firm header which hit the back of the net via the outstretched fingers of Blues goalkeeper Mark Oxley and the inside of the right post.

Moments later, Rochdale’s 16-year-old midfielder Aaron Morley saw a low 25 yard shot parried to safety by Oxley before Blues boss Phil Brown – who was serving the second of a two match touchline ban – made his first change of the afternoon in the 35th minute.

The alteration came in attack with Marc-Antoine Fortune replacing Mooney as the Shrimpers reverted to a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Despite the change, Rochdale remained on top with Andrew sending a well struck long range shot over the crossbar and, in a further bid to change the tide, Brown made a second substitution in the 51st minute with Nile Ranger coming on in place of Jermaine McGlashan.

But Rochdale still threatened next with Morley curling a 25 yard shot inches wide of the right post.

A third change for the Shrimpers followed in the 70th minute with Simon Cox coming on for Stephen McLaughlin but Southend still rarely threatened going forward.

And Rochdale piled further misery on Blues seven minutes from time when substitute Mendez-Laing charged through to complete the scoring.