SOUTHEND’S director of rugby Chris Green refused to blame Sam Arnott’s red card for his side’s 30-11 defeat at Clifton in National Two South on Saturday.

The Seasiders were leading 11-10 at half-time when their scrum half was dismissed for an alledged head-butt.

But Green felt that was not the reason Southend were beaten.

“Even for the 40 minutes before the red card I didn’t think we were playing the way we can,” said Green.

“We may have been winning but it wasn’t a good performance and we actually played better with 14 men for the first 20 minutes of the second half.

“Being down to 14 certainly doesn’t help and it will hinder you at some point but I wouldn’t just say that was the main reason why we lost.”

Southend also finished their previous match, against Henley, with a numerical disadvantage after full-back Andrew Frost was dismissed.

But he made a far happier start at the weekend and kicked a penalty to put the Seasiders ahead inside the opening minute of the match.

Things then started to turn sour though as influential number eight Joe Van Der Molen was forced to leave the field with an ankle injury.

He was replaced by Harry Hudson with Alan Barker moving into Van Der Molen’s role at the back of the scrum.

But Southend immediately found themselves defending desperately against the strong Clifton pack.

They conceded three penalties on the trot close to their try line and youthful referee Daniel Jones awarded the hosts a penalty try which was converted by Gareth Knox to put his side 7-3 ahead.

The game then started to get feisty with Clifton coach Mark Regan leaving his technical area to bark out instructions to his players and the officials, but Southend were not deterred and hit back with another penalty from Frost.

The players continued to tussle back and Southend then went back in front when Danny Cleare sped through to score his sixth try of the season to make it 11-7.

Moments later Knox added a successful penalty and that it how it stayed until half-time when, after the whistle, Arnott was sent off following a scuffle.

That made it for tough for Southend and, in the 57th minute, Clifton regained the lead when Jack Gadd bagged a try and Knox added the extras.

The home side continued to dominate and soon ran home two very similar tries with winger Will Pomphrey touching down twice.

Knox also kicked a penalty to condemn Southend to defeat.

But the Seasiders remain eighth in the table and will be looking to bounce back at home to Lydney the team just above.