SOUTHEND United scored five goals away from home for the first time in 23 years to stun Northampton Town in an enthralling encounter at the Sixfields Stadium this afternoon.

Blues trailed 2-1 at the break after the struggling Cobblers capitalised on some sloppy defending to twice take the lead.

But Paul Sturrock's side piled on the pressure during the second period and secured a pulsating 5-2 win as both striker Liam Dickinson and substitute Bilel Mohsni bagged braces.

Not since thrashing Aldershot Town 5-0 in September 1989 had Southend managed to score so frequently on the road.

And the latest emphatic victory was also enough to send them back to the top of the League Two table.

However, it was far from being a simple victory for Blues and Northampton opened the scoring after just 10 minutes.

A long Ben Tozer throw from the right hand side was inadvertently flicked on by Peter Gilbert and fell at the feet of Sean Clohessy.

But he dallied in possession and that enabled John Johnson to fire home from six yards.

Blues thought they had equalised in the 22nd minute when David Martin tapped home from six yards but the effort was immediately ruled out by referee Gary Sutton who adjudged the winger to have kicked the ball out the hands of Northampton keeper Freddy Hall.

Moments later, a fizzing right wing cross from Clohessy was just missed by the outstretched sliding foot of Elliot Benyon but Southend did equalise in the 41st minute.

Clohessy was again the provider as his deep cross flew over the head of Dickinson and eventually deflected off Jason Crowe and in to the path of Martin.

The winger then made no mistake with an assured driven left foot finish in to the bottom right hand corner of the net from six yards for his first goal since signing from Derby County.

However, Blues were level for just two minutes as Northampton immediately regained the lead through Saido Berahino.

The offside looking striker raced on to a through ball from Ben Harding and slotted the ball past the advancing Glenn Morris, despite the keeper getting a slight touch to the ball.

Blues came close to levelling again right at the start of the second half when Northampton goalkeeper Hall fumbled out a driven shot from Dickinson in to the path of Benyon.

But his six yard shot was blocked by Hall who then also recovered well to deny the forward from the resulting rebound.

With 52 minutes on the clock, Southend wasted an even clearer chance to score as Mark Phillips missed a sitter from close range as he headed over a Hall free-kick from six yards.

But Southend finally made their pressure count in the 65th minute, with Dickinson scoring from the penalty spot.

The forward won the penalty himself after being fouled by Hall before powerfully firing his 12 yard shot high in to the right hand side of the net.

However, Northampton again almost went back in front when a low 25 yard free-kick from Michael Jacobs was superbly saved by Morris.

The Cobblers came even closer to scoring in the 73rd minute when Jacobs crashed another impressive free-kick against the inside of the right post and, just seconds later, Berahino sent an instinctive header inches wide of the same upright.

Blues responded by bringing on Mohsni in place for Martin but Northampton remained on top and almost went in front when a bobbling back-pass from Clohessy was missed by Morris and rolled fractionally wide of the left post.

Southend immediately made the most of the let off in the 81st minute when they went in front for the first time with Mohsni on target as he superbly stooped to head a right wing cross from Hall in to the bottom left hand corner of the net from 16 yards.

Blues went further ahead four minutes later when Dickinson crashed the ball in to the back of the net from 12 yards after being teed up by substitute Jack Sampson.

And, in stoppage time, Southend completed the scoring with Mohsni heading home a right wing corner from Hall.