SOUTHEND United slumped to a disappointing 3-1 defeat against Gateshead at Roots Hall this afternoon.
Shrimpers skipper Gus Scott-Morriss cancelled out Jacob Butterfield’s opener for the visitors.
But a penalty from Luke Hannant put Gateshead back in front before a header from Ben Radcliff sealed all three points.
Gateshead opened the scoring after 12 minutes when Shrimpers shot-stopper Collin Andeng Ndi motioned to move forward before eventually opting to stay on his line.
That allowed Callum Whelan to latch onto the pass forward and tee up Butterfield who scored with a low, left footed shot into the right hand side of the South Stand net.
Butterfield then sent a long range free-kick wide of the left post before the Shrimpers hit back with George Moncur sending a dangerous right wing cross across the face of goal.
Moments later, Moncur was involved again as he jinked into the penalty area before seeing a low, left footed shot saved by the legs of the advancing Tiernan Brooks.
Brooks then gathered a long range shot from Scott-Morriss at the second attempt before the in-form wing-back equalised for the Shrimpers with 32 minutes on the clock.
Scott-Morriss was set up by a pass from Keenan Appiah-Forson and scored with a deflected 16 yard shot which flew into the right hand side of the North Bank net.
However, Gateshead regained the lead eight minutes into the second half as Andeng Ndi brought down Owen Oseni when the striker was clean through on goal and referee Wayne Cartmel immediately pointed to the spot.
Andeng Ndi was yellow carded for the challenge before Hannant made the most of the opportunity from 12 yards, sending a low shot into the bottom right hand corner of the net, just past the outstretched arm of the Shrimpers keeper.
Blues boss Kevin Maher reacted by making his first change of the afternoon as Josh Walker took the place of James Morton but it was still the visitors who threatened next as Butterfield saw a deflected effort bounce back off the crossbar.
In reply, Walker soon sent a header wide of the left post before a goalbound volley from Moncur was deflected over the crossbar by the head of Robbie Tinkler.
But, with 20 minutes o the clock, Gateshead hit back and extended their lead when a right wing corner from Regan Booty found the head of Ben Radcliffe who nodded home from close range.
The Shrimpers soon made a second change with George Wind taking the place of debutant Taylor Foran before Jack Wood also entered the action in place of Moncur.
However, Blues were unable to work their way back into the game.
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