SOUTHEND Saxons’ director of rugby Chris Green was left ruing his side’s slow start to the game after they suffered a 31-13 defeat at high-flying Henley on Saturday.

The defeat was Southend’s third in their first four games of the new National Two South season.

And Green felt his players never recovered from being below par in the opening exchanges.

“We found ourselves 19-0 before we really got ourselves going and that’s not good enough,” said Green.

“Henley are up at the top of the table and I think they will be for most of the season because they are a good side.

“But we’re making the wrong decisions at the wrong time at the moment and we also need to make sure we take more of the chances coming our way.”

Henley’s victory maintained their 100 per cent start to the season and they opened the scoring after just two minutes when lively scrum half Connor Murphy touched down and Will Robinson added the extras.

The home-side continued to pile on the pressure and that soon resulted in lock Matt Payne adding another try to make it 12-0 after just 12 minutes.

That soon became 19-0 when flanker Andy Newman forced his way over for Henley’s third try of the afternoon, with Robinson also converted.

Southend hit back with Brad Burr successfully kicking two penalties to cut Henley’s lead to 19-6 at half-time.

The start of the second period was far more even until a free flowing move from Henley resulted in winger Lloyd Owen scoring another try to make it 24-6.

However, the Saxons soon replied with a try of their own as scrum half Lester Pollard touching down for the first time since his move to the club in the summer.

Burr’s conversion cut Henley’s lead to 24-13 but Henley had the final say with back row Tom Hall running 25 metres to score.

Payne added the conversion to complete the scoring and Southend now find themselves 12th in the 14 team table ahead of this Saturday’s clash against Dorking at Warners Bridge.

Southend: Meads, Driver, Burr, Vaughan, Billings, Ashton, Branch, Strachan, Bloomberg, Bevans-Royston, Chesney, Douglas, Ferrier, Kellard, Hudson Replacements: Fardell, Needham, Shields, Pollard, Nash & Smith