RYAN Hall fired Southend United to their best start to a season in 13 years with the winning goal in a 2-1 triumph at Accrington Stanley this afternoon.

Not since 1998 have Blues kicked off a campaign with two successive league wins.

But, thanks to Hall’s deflected half volley midway through the second half at the Crown Ground, Paul Sturrock’s side have now grabbed six points from their first two games.

Hall’s goal came after the home-side’s Andrew Proctor had cancelled Liam Dickinson’s early penalty and it also followed a series of spurned goalscoring chances for Southend.

However the wasted opportunities did not prove costly as Stanley, who had left-back Kevin McIntyre sent off in stoppage time, were unable to take advantage.

In fact, they were initially blasted aside by Blues in the opening exchanges, with Southend coming out the blocks like an Olympic sprinter.

As a result, they were awarded a penalty after just 29 seconds when Ryan Leonard was bundled to the floor at the back post by McIntyre.

Leonard, who was making his league debut for Blues, was attempting to reach a left wing cross from Hall when he was brought down six yards from goal.

The foul was spotted by referee Jock Waugh and that enabled Dickinson to step forward and fire the subsequent penalty in to the back of the net, via the inside of the left post.

The spot-kick was the striker’s first goal since signing for Southend during the summer and it came just four days after his spot-kick was saved in the Carling Cup penalty shoot-out defeat to Leyton Orient.

Blues continued to pile on the pressure with Leonard firing a left wing cross from Anthony Grant over the crossbar from close range before Hall should have doubled his side’s lead in the sixth minute.

The winger neatly controlled a diagonal cross-field ball from right back Sean Clohessy but, after doing well to control the pass, Hall saw his low effort blocked by the advancing Accrington keeper Sean Murdoch.

But, after surviving the scares, Accrington drew back level in the 39th minute.

The initial free-kick given for a headed foul by Leonard on Craig Lindfield seemed quite harsh but, after that, Southend should have defended far better.

However, goalkeeper Glenn Morris could only palm out McIntyre’s low 25 yard free-kick and that gave the unchallenged Proctor the simple task of tapping the ball home from two yards.

Blues were almost immediately back in front when Grant bundled the ball past the left post from eight yards before Accrington hit back with Charlie Barnett forcing Morris in to action with a well struck 25 yard shot just before the break.

In contrast to that, the start of the second half was far less eventful.

Subsequently, Blues boss Sturrock introduced Neil Harris in to the action in the 58th minute as he took the place of Leonard.

And, nine minutes later, Southend bagged what proved to be the game’s decisive goal as Morris’ long clearance was flicked on by Dickinson, allowing Hall to fire home a deflected half volley from 12 yards in to the top right hand corner of the net.

After Hall’s strike the game remained lifeless until it exploded in to life again late on.

As a result, Grant fired over the crossbar from 25 yards in the 86th minute before substitute Peter Murphy saw a close range shot impressively tipped around the right post by Morris at the other end of the field.

In reply, , it was Southend’s substitute Lee Sawyer who then almost got on the score-sheet when he brilliantly charged through the home-side’s defence.

Yet, with just Murdoch to beat, Sawyer delayed shooting and was kept out by the keeper as he attempted to round him.

Stanley were then reduced to 10 men when McIntyre picked up a second yellow card for a foul on Grant but, despite their numerical disadvantage, they still pushed forward.

Proctor smashed a 25 yard shot against the crossbar before Dean Winnard headed a right wing corner from Luke Joyce but Blues held on to grab their first away victory since winning at Barnet in January.