GK Bart Griemink | Minutes on pitch: 90 | Goals Conceded: 0 | Rating: 7.5

Griemink followed up from his Man of the Match performance at Bury only six days earlier very well. Griemink successfully stopped the six goal attempts that Chester hit the target with thus ensuring a clean sheet for the second game running. Griemink also pulled off save of the match only a few minutes before the Southend winner from Chester’s Rob Booth. The only negative I can pick on is Bart‘s kicking ability. Griemink’s form at the moment is very good and therefore supporters can have very little to moan about. As I say this, Darryl’s back next week.

RB Lewis Hunt | Minutes on pitch: 90 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 6.5

Duncan Jupp continued his stint on the substitutes bench as Lewis Hunt carried on in the right back spot. Whilst Hunt does not offer as much going forward as Jupp has done in the past, Hunt keeps and distributes the ball far better. Hunt tonight again was defensively sound and as a clean sheet was kept. Hunt like all the defenders can be very pleased with their nights work.

CB Adam Barrett | Minutes on pitch: 90 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 7

Local lad Adam Barrett is another who can go home very pleased with his performance. Barrett was once again solid at the back whilst he also offered a lot going forward on the floor as well as his aerial ability. Barrett won his headers as ever and therefore continued his excellent start to his Southend career.

CB Spencer Prior | Minutes on pitch: 90 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 7.5

I can only apologise for sounding repetitive but Prior was, just like Barrett, very solid at the back. I can’t remember Prior making a mistake with the ball at his feet and his passing of the ball was brilliant. On one occasion Prior managed to pass the ball out of defence through three on rushing Chester players finding central midfielder Kevin Maher in more than ample space.

LB Che Wilson | Minutes on pitch: 90 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 7.5

Wilson made up the successful defensive quartet tonight and continued his good form. Wilson has vastly improved as a player and he continued to show his improvement tonight. The Wilson of old would have struggled when things didn’t go Southend’s way but tonight he displayed his new coolness making key tackles and interceptions when needed.

RM Carl Pettefer | Minutes on pitch: 90 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 6

Pettefer was one of the players that found himself frustrated tonight as Southend had lots of possession that went to waste. Whilst Pettefer done little wrong himself he was never particularly involved in the game. He did however have a very strong penalty shout turned down by referee Phil Prosser who continued to annoy Blues fans all evening.

CM Kevin Maher | Minutes on pitch: 90 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 6

Another frustrated player who simply couldn’t get his game going this evening. Maher didn’t find his usual space in the middle of midfield and therefore was far less effective than he has been in previous games this season. Maher’s ever so successful set pieces were also far less helpful to Southend as Chester goalkeeper Wayne Brown claimed a number of them easily. Maher’s passing also became a little erratic at times especially during irritating periods for the Shrimpers in the second half.

CM Mark Bentley | Minutes on pitch: 90 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 6.5

LM Mark Gower | Minutes on pitch: 66 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 6.5

Mark Gower came so close to breaking the deadlock in the first half as his thunderous shot crashed against the inside of the post only for it to fly out of the goal area. Despite Gower looking dangerous in the early knockings his performance faded and he looked jaded towards the end of his 66 minutes on the pitch.

CF Wayne Gray | Minutes on pitch: 90 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 7.5

Gray yet again done a lot of hard work on a night were the ball just didn‘t break for him. Gray made a lot of wide runs only to be left wondering what might have been if the balls had of made there way through to him. He looked lively and creative despite his hard work leading to good goal scoring opportunities.

CF Freddy Eastwood | Minutes on pitch: 71 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 6

The former Gray‘s Athletic goal scorer played one of his poorer games in a blue shirt as he failed to score for the second game running. Eastwood appeared to be a man marked, at times where Chester looked as if they were playing for a point. When Freddy did find space, for once his trickery and quick touch let him down leaving him to be substituted in the 71st minute.

LM Tesfaye Bramble | Minutes on pitch: 24 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 6

Tes entered the frame playing, yet again, in his less favoured position on the wing, this time the left side. Bramble did himself no harm though by crossing a number of dangerous balls into the penalty area as Southend looked to get a winner. Although Bramble will never have his best games on the wing he can continue to look as sharp as possible until given his chance in is favoured centre-forward position.

CF Lawrie Dudfield | Minutes on pitch: 19 | Goals: 1 | Assists: 0 | Rating: 8

MotM: May I firstly take this opportunity to congratulate Lawrie on the birth of his child earlier this week. Secondly may I take this opportunity to thank Lawrie for picking of three of the most crucial points Southend may get there hands on this season. Some may argue that Dudfield does not warrant the Man of the Match award as he was only playing for 19 minutes and took a chance that all strikers would be expected to bury. However Lawrie looked sharp and was in the right place at the right time to send the Southend up to fourth in League Two only one point off the automatic promotion spots. He also leaves manager Steve Tilson with a good selection dilemma for the Boxing Day trip to Wycombe.