A Barny brace allowed the Shrimpers to leave the blustery Edgeley Park with all three points after the home side had Paul Huntington sent-off.
In fact, it might be easier to start Southend's games with a penalty shoot-out as the fourth spot-kick was given for the third match in a row, but the first for the team from Essex. (If you add the Leeds match that's five penalties in five games!)
As predicted, and hoped for, Blues boss Steve Tilson made some changes that saw Francis Laurent and Dougie Freedman in for Roy O'Donovan and Jean-Francois Christophe.
Poor Sawyer must have really upset Tilly!
The formation was a flexible 4-3-1-2 with Freedman providing a link between the midfield and attack which allowed Laurent to roam about the pitch with complete freedom, and didn't he take advantage of it!
There was a fierce gale blowing across the pitch throughout the game that made any good football very difficult but the stats show how the Yellow shirted side coped with it better than Stockport with 16 attempts on goal, half of those on target, and hitting the woodwork three times, to County's 4-4-0!
The Laurent inclusion nearly paid dividends in the second minute, the tall Frenchman cutting inside, not for the last time, and seeing his shot hit the hand of Hatters defender Michael Raynes. Looked good to me but accidental said referee Bratt.
There were moments for County, mainly through their annoying striker on loan from Reading Nicholas Bignall, sort of Robertson-lite, but on the whole Osei Sankofa and skipper Adam Barrett kept him, and top scorer Carl Baker, relatively quiet.
Baker did have an early chance with a 30-yard free kick but hit it straight at Blues keeper Steve Mildenhall, who overall coped with the conditions well.
The Hatters shot stopper Owain Fon Williams then made a good double save after a lovely weighted Freedman pass allowed Lee Barnard to cut inside and shoot with Frank Moussa nearly snapping up the rebound.
On 41 minutes Southend were awarded a free-kick 25 yards out and dead centre. Shrimpers sat right behind the goal were amusingly giving the County defenders instructions on where to place the wall when Francis stepped up and clipped the outside of the left-hand post, so close.
They came even closer 12 minutes into the second period.
The good Lord was making one of his trademark runs into the box after a long boot upfield when Huntington decided to hold him back. Barny, bless him, made sure the officials knew what was going on.
However, referee Bratt placed his hands behind his back to the dismay of Southend fans and players alike, before we all noticed the linesman on the right hand side signalling a spot-kick.
Bratt then had no choice to show the Stockport defender a red card as the last man, the start of a very difficult 35 odd minutes for the diminutive referee as the home crowd showed their displeasure at every decision he gave to the Blues.
The penalty award certainly shocked the County players, but up stepped Barnard who neatly struck the ball low and hard into the left hand corner. No messing around at a saveable height al la Leeds.
After that it became the Francis Laurent show, and if he could only improve his finishing he might have got a 10!
He tore the Stockport defence to pieces at times. You had to feel sorry for the poor full-back Raynes who didn't stand a chance, and was lucky to only get a yellow after cutting Laurent down who had left two or three County chasing shadows.
This was the Laurent of the Leeds game a year ago, almost exactly a year ago, maybe it's something to do with the night's drawing in. Let's hope this time it lasts a little longer.
The main concern for the away support was with the added space of playing against ten men we couldn't make it two, though we had the chances.
One was for Laurent, who hit high and wide after yet another great run into the box.
The 23-year-old Parisian then turned provider, finding left-back George Friend who had wondered up field into the area, but he could only strike the Stockport woodwork, Barnard following up forcing a good save from Fon Williams.
Bignall reminded us there was still another team on the pitch when he struck a shot from 35-yards that Big Steve couldn't hold on to cleanly.
Then a huge moment and the one that made most of the travelling faithful believe that after the last two games and the decisions that have gone against us, this time we were going to leave with the points.
On the half-hour substitute Danny Pilkington struck a long ball over the heads of the Southend defence which saw the speedy Bignall follow the ball into the box.
He then, and I had a clear view, fell dramatically with Sankofa and Christophe closing in on him but making no contact. Very similar though to last Saturday but this time no linesman's flag across the chest and referee Bratt waving the home appeals away.
Great decision given under great pressure leaving him chased by several County players and manager Ablett and his coaching team having fits on the sidelines. Calm down chaps.
It took stoppage time to finally wrap things up.
A complete mix-up in the Stockport defence saw the shell-shocked Raynes allowing Barnard to force down his clearance and with an open goal Lee somehow found the crossbar, but when it's your day, the ball falling nicely for him to tuck away Southend's second of the day, and his tenth of the season.
Southend Player Markings: Mildenhall - 7, Francis - 7, Sankofa - 7, Barrett - 8, Friend - 6, Grant - 7 (Christophe - 6), McCormack - 7, Laurent - 9, Barnard - 8, Freedman - 6, Moussa - 7.
He might as well have stayed a shrimper:
www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/feat/edy4/
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