HALF - TIME: Ryan Hall and Blair Sturrock strike - Rotherham United 0 Southend United 2

Last updated : 16 January 2011 By westfield shrimper

Can we play away from Roots Hall every week?

And we had the majority of the possession as well, maybe Millers boss Ronnie 'we're a better side than Southend' Moore should keep quiet before a game, it can come back to haunt you, and it did here.

That's a very impressive double over the South Yorkshire side that started the day in second place.

Blues boss Paul Sturrock made three changes from last week, and EEB predicted the lot in his preview, though he got Matt Phillips returning wrong as veteran Graham Coughlan stayed in.

The ones he got right: Peter Gilbert for Johnny Herd at left-back, you could put your mortgage on that one, Louie Soares down the right for Miguel Comminges, predicted by Luggy himself, and, no surprise again, Blair Sturrock for the unlucky Matt Paterson.

Still, who are we to argue when within 13 minutes the away side were two-up.

Have the Millers not watched the DVD's of our games at Cheltenham and Oxford, back-to-back 2-0 wins all wrapped up in the first 45, maybe Ronnie's just been looking at the recent home games!

What turned out to be an error in hindsight, then again they were playing at home, Rotherham won the toss but changed ends handing the Shrimpers first go with the strong wind al la Bristol Rovers away last season.

Thanks guys, but at least we didn't throw it away this time around.

A lot of the crowd had failed to take their seats when Southend opened the scoring in the very first minute, 32 frigging seconds to be exact.

Sean Clohessy with a terrific cross after a Blair knockdown, and there was Ryan Hall with the finish, a left footed volley from just six yards out.

That seemed to annoy the league's second-placed team a touch who went on the offensive, keeper Glenn Morris doing well to keep out a Ryan Taylor header.

Top scorer Barry Corr had a go to no avail, and then the Shrimpers struck for a second time!

Hall turned provider this time, after his corner found Blair Sturrock, we said he should be in the side, lurking with intent in the middle of the area, and his bullet header did the rest.

Plenty of good defensive work followed from the Blues helped by Morris looking safe in goal.

Taylor getting frustrated enough to receive a yellow card for fouling, guess who, Anthony Grant.

On 35 minutes the hard-working Sturrock crossed for Soares to bring a good reaction save from Millers keeper Andy Warrington who pushed the ball back on to the former Aldershot wideboy's head, and he placed it wide, oh dear!

Continuing away into the Rotherham half did bring the odd corner, but overall Southend would have been pleased to hear the whistle for half-time, surviving a decent attempt for an own goal by Grham Coughlan, and hope they can keep events in control as they did the previous two away games, where the second 45 remained goalless and the points returned to Roots Hall.

Half-Time: Rotherham United 0 Southend United 2