Southend United suffered their first league defeat of the season after losing 2-0 at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Blues had enjoyed the better of the play at Roots Hall until the shape of the game changed after Franck Moussa was sent off in the 63rd minute.
Brighton were then able to capitalise through second half goals from Glenn Murray and Nicky Forster, as the visitors went home with the three points.
Gallery: Southend vs Brighton
World TV: Tilson's post match reaction
Southend made a positive start to proceedings at Roots Hall with Kevin Betsy directing a cross into the penalty area that was met by the head of Lee Barnard into the gloves of goalkeeper Michel Kuipers.
Alex Revell was cautioned against his former club for a late tackle on Kuipers, but then came within a coat of paint of scoring the night's opening goal.
Betsy was again involved in another lively attack, as he teed up Revell on the edge of the box and he in turn arrowed a low shot which beat the outstretched arm of Kuipers, but cannoned back off the post.
The Blues remained on top and looked to play the ball into the box at every given opportunity, as Revell won the ball but was off target when connecting with Hal Robson-Kanu's left wing cross.
Brighton's first real foray forward nearly led to them scoring, only for Steve Mildenhall to pull off a smart save diving down to his right to keep out Adam Virgo's 15 yard volley.
Colin Hawkins nearly played in Revell at the start of the second half after the Brighton defender's soft backpass had Kuipers racing out to clear the ball.
Kuipers was in the thick of the action again when the goalkeeper spilled Peter Clarke's header before a mad melee ensured in front of goal, which ended with Brighton somehow clearing the loose ball.
Barnard was nearly the grateful receiver of a goal after he blocked Kuipers attempted clearance with his body and saw the ball sail goalwards from 30 yards, only to eventually drift narrowly wide of the left-hand post.
Having been on top for much of the match, the tide turned in Brighton's favour after Moussa was sent off for a late challenge on Virgo which the referee deemed to be a red card offence.
Nicky Forster looked to take advantage when he found space to cut inside the box and hit a low shot which sped across the face of goal and just wide of the target.
But in the 75th minute Brighton did open the scoring after David Livermore's free kick into the box was taken down by Glenn Murray, who subsequently had time to turn and shoot past the sprawling body of Mildenhall.
Even with 10 men Southend nearly drew level when Barnard looked to have headed in Betsy's cross, only for Tommy Elphick to react quick enough to head the ball off the line.
A fierce volley from Dan Harding was then kept out by Kuipers, but with time running out Brighton made sure of the three points in the 89th minute when Forster's close range effort squeezed past Mildenhall at his near post.
Southend: Mildenhall, Francis, Clarke, Barrett, Harding, Betsy, Grant, Moussa, Robson-Kanu, Revell (Sawyer 71), Barnard.
Brighton: Kuipers, Whing, Elphick, Hawkins, Richards, Cox (Hart 81), Thomson, Virgo, Livermore (Loft 88), Murray, Forster.
