SOUTHEND’s director of rugby Chris Green offered no excuses after his side were comprehensively seen off 55-28 at Richmond on Saturday.

The Seasiders sunk to their first defeat of the season following a disappointing second half display in Surrey.

And that frustrated Green.

“We capitulated after half-time which was disappointing but we were beaten by the better team on the day,” said Green.

“We have no excuses and Richmond deserved the win.

“They looked a good side and one you would expect to be up there this season, but we have to learn lessons from this defeat.

“We have to learn them quickly too and bounce back from this as quickly as we can because it just isn’t good enough to be giving away 50 points.”

Despite the eventual defeat, it was Southend who opened the scoring when winger Danny Cleare touched down for the second Saturday in succession.

Full-back Andrew Frost added the extras but the joy was short-lived as Richmond responded with three tries of their own in a stunning 10 minute spell.

The first came from their powerful second row James Taylor before hooker David Burr and back row Doug Abbott also barged through.

Two of the tries were converted by fly half Matt Keville and that put Richmond 19-7 in front.

Southend hit back with a penalty from Frost and they then got within a point of their hosts when Michael Guess went over after a darting run from Joe van der Molen.

But Richmond again responded with an unconverted try from outside centre Barnaby Pascall to make it 24 – 18 before the Seasiders again fought back with Frost landing another penalty on the stroke of half-time.

The game was no where near as close in the second half though as Richmond's bigger, stronger and fitter team started to dominate the game.

Nothing worked for Southend and they spent long spells desperately defending in their own half.

However, Richmond found a way through another four times, with winger Jonathan Webb scoring twice.

Flanker Doug Abbott and winger James Greenwood also went over with Keville piling on more misery by converting all of the tries and a penalty.

Southend's only reply was a consolation try from young fly-half Jack Jones when Richmond were down to 14 men.

Frost converted but by then the damage had already been done and the Seasiders will be hoping for far better when they host Shelford at Warners Bridge this weekend.

Southend: Frost, Billings, Freeman, Vaughan, Cleare, Jones, Arnott, Williams, Grier, Guess, Waring, McClintock, Barker, Johnson, Van Der Molen.

Replacements: Bailey, Keenan, Hudson, Greatrex & Gash.