Southend United crashed to their first League One defeat of the season at Swindon Town, after being forced to play for nearly an hour with just 10 men.
Jean-Francois Christophe was sent off for picking up two bookings in the first half and with the Blues already trailing by a goal to nil, they were always going to be up against it.
Swindon went on to double their lead late on and although Damian Scannell did cap his return from injury with a goal, it was not enough to halt a 2-1 defeat at the County Ground.
It was a bright start for Southend nonetheless, as Adam Barrett drilled a 20 yard strike wide of the right-hand post before Lee Barnard's close control allowed him to smash a volley inside the box that goalkeeper David Lucas tipped over the top.
The hosts did response though and Lecsinel Jean-Francois will be wondering how he didn't score, with the defender left unmarked from a free kick, but somehow heading wide from in front of goal.
From their next free kick in the 20th minute though, Swindon opened the scoring through Scott Cuthbert.
Jon-Paul McGovern crossed the ball into the box and with the Blues unable to clear their lines, it fell kindly for Cuthbert and he had the time needed to arrow the ball into the far corner of the net.
Southend's day then went from bad to worse, after Christophe was shown a yellow card in the 35th minute and sent off.
The Frenchman was accused of diving as he went down under a challenge when attempting to turn his marker outside the box and was harshly booked and given his marching orders as a result.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Barrett was first to react to Simon Francis' free kick and headed the ball just wide of the target with the last opportunity of the half.
Former Southend striker Billy Paynter flashed an early shot wide across the face of goal within the opening minute of the second half.
At the other end, Franck Moussa went to ground inside the box, as he looked to bypass two challenges, but the referee waved away the Belgian midfielder's penalty appeals.
Steve Mildenhall then nearly got on the scoresheet when he launched a free kick from his own half forward, which had Lucas backpedalling before he recovered to parry the ball over the top.
Barnard was the next to be frustrated after he appeared to have his shirt tugged inside the box by Cuthbert, but again the referee was not interested.
It was Barnard's last involvement in the match, as both he and Revell were taken off in a double substitution that introduced Francis Laurent and Scannell.
M'Voto saved Southend when he cleared Michael Timlin's shot off the line, but just moments later, Swindon still went on to double their lead.
There was more frustration for Southend, as Francis thought he was impeded as he won the ball back, only for play to continue and Temitope Obadeyi charge into the box before hitting a low shot through the legs of Mildenhall in the 79th minute.
But Southend weren't about to give up without a fight and within two minutes, Scannell fired an excellent strike into the roof of the net to provide a grandstand finish.
The ball then wouldn't sit right for Scannell as he looked to run through on goal and unfortunately, despite some late pressure, time ran out for Southend's chances of mounting a comeback.
Southend: Mildenhall, Francis, M'Voto, Barrett, White, Grant, Christophe, McCormack, Moussa, Revell (Laurent 70), Barnard (Scannell 70).
Swindon: Lucas, Cuthbert, Douglas, Greer, McGovern, Hutchinson (Obadeyi 62), McNamee (O'Brien 69), Amankwaah, Jean-Francois, Paynter, Ferry (Timlin 77).
