Blues midfielder Franck Moussa celebrated his first senior goal for the Shrimpers to give the local bragging rights to Southend at Essex rivals Colchester.
Two changes for the away side from the last game, Simon Francis was dropped for the more defensive Anthony Grant while Dougie Freedman picked up another thigh injury and was replaced upfront by Francis Laurent.
The Moose struck with the only goal of the game in the 14th minute as the Shrimpers celebrated their first visit to the Farmers new stadium with all three points.
It was a real breakaway goal, with Watford loanee Theo Robinson charging down the right wing and whipping over a low cross for the on-rushing Moussa to steer the ball beyond the reach of keeper Jimmy Walker.
After that there was not much goalmouth action but a good chance fell to defender Pat Baldwin, who somehow missed the target from just a couple of feet out.
Southend were also indebted to one terrific save from their keeper Steve Mildenhall just before the break. He threw himself to his left to claw away a goalbound drive from Yeates.
However the two main talking points of the first half was first the inaction of the stewards to react to a ball thrown directly in the face of Blues captain Adam Barrett by a home supporter. (Who had the last laugh there, summed up by Captain Adam reminding that section at the end by returning there and kissing the Southend badge.)
The second was another example of a poor refereeing decison. Southend midfielder Alan McCormack was clearly hit in the face by a Colchester player so a clear red. There was no doubt that Macca deserved his yellow by setting up the situation but the ref then only gave the same to his opponent. It was either nothing or a yellow and a red. The referee bottled it.
Backed by a record crowd at their new ground, mainly due to a sell out away end and the attraction of their closest rivals, the Farmers also threatened an equaliser within 25 seconds of the restart. Clive Platt nodded down into the path of Kemal Izzet, who fired his shot over the bar.
The Yellows, in this case, then shut up shop and defended very effectively during the second half. In fact, Southend keeper Mildenhall did not have another serious save to make as the Farmers rather lost their way.
Referee Wright somehow found 6 minutes of stoppage time but the biggest team in Essex were not going to be denied.
This was Colchester's third defeat on the bounce and it has all but ended their hopes of making the play-offs, although their manager Paul Lambert has not yet given up hope.
Southend are now just two points behind their Essex rivals and on this form will overtake them by the end of the season.
The Shrimpers were backed by a big away following, who all went away happy. It was the perfect way to bounce back from a disappointing home defeat in midweek and set up the rest of the season once again.
Two changes for the away side from the last game, Simon Francis was dropped for the more defensive Anthony Grant while Dougie Freedman picked up another thigh injury and was replaced upfront by Francis Laurent.
The Moose struck with the only goal of the game in the 14th minute as the Shrimpers celebrated their first visit to the Farmers new stadium with all three points.
It was a real breakaway goal, with Watford loanee Theo Robinson charging down the right wing and whipping over a low cross for the on-rushing Moussa to steer the ball beyond the reach of keeper Jimmy Walker.
After that there was not much goalmouth action but a good chance fell to defender Pat Baldwin, who somehow missed the target from just a couple of feet out.
Southend were also indebted to one terrific save from their keeper Steve Mildenhall just before the break. He threw himself to his left to claw away a goalbound drive from Yeates.
However the two main talking points of the first half was first the inaction of the stewards to react to a ball thrown directly in the face of Blues captain Adam Barrett by a home supporter. (Who had the last laugh there, summed up by Captain Adam reminding that section at the end by returning there and kissing the Southend badge.)
The second was another example of a poor refereeing decison. Southend midfielder Alan McCormack was clearly hit in the face by a Colchester player so a clear red. There was no doubt that Macca deserved his yellow by setting up the situation but the ref then only gave the same to his opponent. It was either nothing or a yellow and a red. The referee bottled it.
Backed by a record crowd at their new ground, mainly due to a sell out away end and the attraction of their closest rivals, the Farmers also threatened an equaliser within 25 seconds of the restart. Clive Platt nodded down into the path of Kemal Izzet, who fired his shot over the bar.
The Yellows, in this case, then shut up shop and defended very effectively during the second half. In fact, Southend keeper Mildenhall did not have another serious save to make as the Farmers rather lost their way.
Referee Wright somehow found 6 minutes of stoppage time but the biggest team in Essex were not going to be denied.
This was Colchester's third defeat on the bounce and it has all but ended their hopes of making the play-offs, although their manager Paul Lambert has not yet given up hope.
Southend are now just two points behind their Essex rivals and on this form will overtake them by the end of the season.
The Shrimpers were backed by a big away following, who all went away happy. It was the perfect way to bounce back from a disappointing home defeat in midweek and set up the rest of the season once again.