SIMON Cox bagged the only goal of the game as Southend United secured a hard-fought 1-0 win at Walsall this afternoon.

The Shrimpers went into the game with the second worst away record in League One.

But Cox’s first half strike was enough to secure Phil Brown’s side a second successive 1-0 victory.

Cox’s goal was the fourth of the season and came in the 17th minute of the match.

The successful move started with Michael Kightly winning the ball back down the left hand side and picking up Marc-Antoine Fortune with a low, left footed cross.

The Frenchman’s effort rebounded into the path of Josh Wright who fed the ball into the path of Cox who netted with an accurate effort from eight yards.

In reply, the Saddlers’ Tyler Roberts soon curled a 20 yard shot straight at Shrimpers goalkeeper Mark Oxley and, in the 40th minute, the striker had a well-struck shot parried to safety by Oxley.

The Blues goalkeeper then kept out a curling close range shot from Joe Edwards on the stroke of half-time before the visitors came close to doubling their lead at the start of the second period with Fortune firing just wide of the right post.

Fortune was replaced by Nile Ranger in the 70th minute for the Shrimpers’ first change of the game but his strike partner Cox threatened next as his snap-shot was smothered by Gillespie.

Moments later, Anthony Wordsworth fired wide of the left post from 20 yards before the Shrimpers make their second substitution of the afternoon in the 76th minute with Stephen McLaughlin replacing Kightly on the left flank.

However, Blues were unable to conjure up a second goal and Walsall almost snatched a late leveller with Daniel Agyei having a well struck shot tipped over by Oxley.