SOUTHEND Saxons’ director of rugby Chris Green was left fuming after his side’s 21-10 defeat to Redruth at a wet and windy Warners Bridge.

Sunday’s setback was Southend’s fifth in six games.

And it came after a slow start and a refereeing performance which infuriated Green.

“We lost the game because we didn’t start well enough when the wind was at our backs but I have to say that was also the worst performance from a referee I have seen in the 14 years I’ve been here, “ said Green.

“We found ourselves on the wrong end of a substantial penalty count and were also shown three yellow cards.

“Redruth weren’t shown any at all but I’m not going to use that as an excuse.

“They played the conditions better than we did and we needed to do more in that opening half an hour if we were going to win the game.”

The defeat pushed Southend down to 11th in the National Two South standings and came after Redruth went in front with a try from Kyle Marriott after just 14 minutes which was converted by David Mankee.

Saxons hit back with a penalty from Brad Burr before the fly-half teed up Chris Vaughan, who had earlier been yellow carded, to score his seventh try of the season.

Burr added the conversion to put Southend 10-7 in front at half-time but the narrow lead never looked like being enough.

Redruth, with the strong wind now behind them, went back in front with another try from Marriott seven minutes into the second half.

Mankee again added the conversion before Saxons were hit by yellow cards shown to both Aston Bevans-Royston and Kris Chesney in quick succession.

Redruth soon made the most of their two extra men with Tom Cowan touching down for try converted by Mankee.

And, despite a rally late on, Southend were unable to add any more points as they sunk to within four points of the relegation zone ahead of Saturday’s trip to table-topping Old Albanians.

Southend Saxons: Meads, Bolton, Billings, Vaughan, Hoadley, Burr, Daly, Bailey, Day-White, Bevans-Royston, Chesney, Twight, Fombo, Shields, Hudson

Replacements: Fardell, Strachan, Morrison, Smith & Ashton