THE Don Valley Stadium is better known for hosting athletics than football.

And it was at the Sheffield venue this afternoon where Southend United got back on track after two successive defeats with a 2-1 triumph over Rotherham.

Early goals from Ryan Hall and Blair Sturrock secured all three points for Blues, with their first coming after just 32 seconds.

It was the quickest goal of the day in the country and came after Sturrock had knocked the ball out to Sean Clohessy on the right flank.

The defender immediately delivered a delightful cross and picked out Hall who crashed a left footed volley in to the top right hand corner of the net from six yards.

The shocked Millers replied with Ryan Taylor heading straight at Southend goalkeeper Glenn Morris but Southend soon hit back with the recalled Blair Sturrock firing a tame long range shot in to the gloves of Millers custodian Andy Warrington.

But, with 13 minutes on the clock, the experienced keeper was beaten again.

This time Hall was the provider as he curled in a right wing corner which found the head of Sturrock and he headed home in to the roof of the net from close range.

Rotherham again attempted to respond when idfielder Nicky Law burst in to the box but his low effort was parried around the left post by Morris.

Southend, who a strong wind behind them in the first half, continued to threaten going forward with Barry Corr just failing to reach another good, right wing cross from Clohessy and, in the 35th minute, Blues wasted an even clearer opportunity to score.

This time it was Sturrock causing problems down the right hand side as his low chipped cross picked out Soares at the back post.

However the winger's downward header was impressively kept out by Warrington before Soares nodded the resulting rebound wide of the right post.

A header at the other end of the field then almost resulted in a comical own goal but Graham Coughlan's effort just rolled inches past the right post after sailing over the head of the on-rushing Morris.

Southend survived the scare though and also stood firm at the start of the second half when Dale Tonge's low driven shot was smartly smothered by Morris.

After that, Blues sat back deeper to protect their lead and the Millers therefore found it hard to create clear cut chances.

But they got back in the game on the hour mark from a set play when a left wing corner from Law dropped invitingly in to the path of centre-back Nick Fenton who prodded the ball home from six yards.

Blues complained that Morris had been blocked while attempting to come off his goal-line but the effort changed the momentum of match.

Rotherham continued to attack and, with the fans now more behind them, Jason Taylor slashed a 20 yard shot wide of the left post.

Southend responded by making their first change of the afternoon as Kane Ferdinand came on for Soares in the 68th minute to give the team more security in the centre of the park.

But it was Rotherham substitute Paul Warne who almost made an impact as, just seconds after entering the action in the 77th minute, he burst in to the box before unleashing a well struck shot which was impressively kept out low to his left hand side by Morris.

However that proved to be Southend's final scare as they dug in deep to secure a third successive victory on the road.