Anyway, Graham Coughlan and Blair Sturrock were unsurprisingly thrown back in, the former for suspended Bilel Mohsni, the latter to allow the youth of Kyle Asante to have a rest on the bench, where he will be joined by the equally youthful Harry Crawford.
Blimey, and the son of Luggy is back with a shot straight from the kick-off from way out, but way wide as well.
The dangerous Marc Richards for the Valiants is already throwing his weight about and proving a handful for the recalled veteran Coughlan.
Vale might be seeing more of the ball, but in the early stages the Shrimpers are holding their own.
And on seven minutes Sean Clohessy is given space to get down the right and try his luck with a strike from outside the area, however it's wide again, where a couple of minutes later Sturrock shoots, er, wide.
We certainly don't like haven't been testing the keeper much in recent games and so far the Essex boys are going down a similar route, but to show we're not the only ones, the Valiants very own Doug Loft shows the home support they can have a go from outside the box while not giving Southend's No.1 Glenn Morris anything to do as well.
Then a moment on the quarter hour for the travelling faithful to get interested when Blair wins a free-kick that gives Ryan Hall a chance to strike, yet sadly nothing comes from it.
However, you felt it wasn't going to last and sure enough, after increased pressure had forced an opening corner for Port Vale, they took the lead on 25 minutes.
On the edge of the area Robert Taylor shoots home into the top right hand corner, another lead given away by United.
Some slight increase in pace from both sides leads to an increase in free-kicks but none lead to any real opening until Barry Corr at last has a shot from 20 yards out that once again fails to wake up the Vale shot stopper Stuart Tomlinson.
Miguel Comminges at least livens up proceedings a touch by finding himself in the referee's notebook for a daft challenge eight minutes before the break, while there's even a corner to cheer soon after yet Hall's attempt to cause danger is cleared by Anthony Griffith.
The Potteries club decide they will try to double the lead before half-time as Coughlan does well to clear from Richards leading to a Doug Loft corner that has former Valiant Luke Prosser makeing sure there's no more goals before the ref blows the whistle.
Good luck Luggy on what he says, or can do, to stop yet another defeat, what would be Southend's sixth on the trot away from Roots Hall.
Half-Time: Port Vale 1 Southend United 0