After a goaless first half where Southend had played the better football against their premiership opponents, Erik Nevland and Danny Murphy broke away in the second 45 to give Fulham a 2-0 win at Roots Hall in front of 3,140.
Damien Scannell was trying his best to show Blues boss Steve Tilson that he was the man to take the Gower role with an early shot and some dangerous crosses. While the good Lord Lee Barnard nearly broke the deadlock after good work from Nicky Bailey.
In fact Bailey, playing against a former club, looked as if last season had never finished, with a storming run that brought the best out of Fulham keeper Stockdale, though some in the crowd felt he should have scored.
However, after the break, the two division gap started to tell as Neveland hit the woodwork for the visitors and Mildenhall saved well from a Murphy free-kick, this after hearing Darryl's name being chanted from the west stand, behave lads!
It was the former of these players who opened the scoring on the hour, Neveland placing a header away from the Blues keeper making his home debut after good work from Simon Davies.
Only two minutes had passed when last season's Fulham hero, Danny Murphy, rewarded the the team that had given him a new one year contract by scoring the second with a well placed shot from the edge of the area.
There was still time for Captain Adam to hit the post with a typical powerful header and Barnard to have another shot, this time just clearing the bar.
New signing Sankofa, also making his home debut, was used in a left back role where he will probably start the season after the news of Mulgrew going to Aberdeen. Furlong came on in the 2nd half to replace Barnard as the lone striker as Lee moved to the wing to replace Scannell. Paul became the third player to make a home debut, and showed his talent in the air but it was Walker who I felt worked as hard as ever while still never looking like scoring.
Though Southend showed the effort and skill that will make them competitive in League One once again, it was obvious some further signings have to be made to replace those who have gone if a serious assault on the top six places is to be made.
Click on the links below to see some action photos from tonights game.
http://www.southendunited.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Gallery/0,,10444~1344951,00.html
http://www.sportbox.tv/photos/imagepopup.php?team_id=95
Southend: Steve Mildenhall (Joyce 80), Simon Francis, Osei Sankofa (Herd), Nicky Bailey, Peter Clarke, Adam Barrett, Alan McCormack, Lee Barnard, James Walker, Damien Scannell (Furlong), Franck Moussa. Subs: Paul Furlong, Stuart O'Keefe, Ian Joyce, Johnny Herd, Ronnie Jones, Peggy Lokando, Charles Ademeno
Fulham: David Stockdale, Moritz Volz, Paul Konchesky, Brede Hangeland, David Healy, Erik Nevland, Steven Davis, Jimmy Bullard, Simon Davies, Leon Andreasen, Chris Baird. Subs: Neil Etheridge, Andranik, Zoltan Gera, Danny Murphy, Lee Cook, Aaron Hughes, Tony Kallio.