Same old story? Not this time.
First goals of the season for Captain Adam Barrett and midfield dynamo Alan McCormack made sure the game ended with the correct scoreline, and Southend's first win at the Orient since an Abbey double on January 20th, 2001.
Not much happened in the first half other than the Yellow shirted Southend side having 80% of the ball but not doing much with it in the final third in front of 1,432 travelling supporters.
To his credit Blues boss Steve Tilson picked an attacking line-up with Damien Scannell starting wide left and Francis Laurent returning to his favoured right wing position.
Franck Moussa at last started in central midfield as Jean-Francois Christophe kept the bench warm.
This did leave top scorer Lee Barnard isolated and it showed as all the possession of the first 45 led to nothing bar a long range Moose shot and a Captain Adam header well over the bar.
In fact, Orient came closest with both Adrian Patulea and Tamika Mkandawire forcing good defensive work from Sean Morrison and keeper Ian Joyce.
The half time substitution for the home side of Pires for Patuela at least livened them up a bit and it seemed their would be a game of sorts, but they were desperatly missing Thornton, McGleish and Jarvis and showed little creativity from midfield.
Which meant, of course, they would take the lead!
On 57 minutes Adam Chambers found himself with plenty of space 20 yards out and curled the ball around Joyce and into the net.
Anybody following the Blues on the road recently would have feared the worst, especially at this ground of all places, but this time the response was immediate.
Two minutes later before the hour mark had passed, another excellent Simon Francis cross placed O's defender in a panic and he seemed to pass the ball dirrectly to Adam Barrett who smashed the ball home.
You could see the confidence return to Southend who were at getting more bodies going forward.
The good Lord himself had a great chance controlling Moussa's high pass well, creating the space, then shooting straight at Orient keeper Jamie Jones.
Tilly sensed blood and substituted Laurent, who had done little, and Anthony Grant, for James Walker and Christophe. He was proved right as on the 74th minute as the game swung the Essex side's way.
Another Francis cross, and it looked as if Barnard would finish it off, when Alan McCormack, who hasn't looked like scoring all season, arrived from nowhere to scramble the ball into the Orient net for what proved the winner.
The tirering Scannell had a shot just wide as Joycey grabbed an Ashworth header from an O's corner but even some comedy defending from the Moose and a surprising four minutes of stoppage time couldn't stop the Shrimpers recording a very important three points away from Roots Hall and moving into 12th place.
Southend player markings: Joyce - 7, Francis - 7, Morrison - 7, Barrett - 7, Malone - 7, Laurent - 5 (Walker 71 - 5), Grant - 6 (Christophe - 6), McCormack - 8, Moussa - 7, Scannell - 6, Barnard - 6.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
