Two goals from Lee Barnard helped Southend United return to winnings ways with a 2-1 triumph at home to Bristol Rovers in League One.
The striker made it 12 goals for the season with a strike in each half to already beat his tally for the whole duration of last year, as the Blues picked up their first win in three.
Southend started the brighter side and within two minutes Frank Moussa was lining up a shot, which flew narrowly wide of the post.
Inside 14 minutes though the deadlock was broken in impressive fashion, with Barnard taking aim from 20 yards out and curling a superb strike into the bottom corner of the net.
Bristol Rovers looked to response when Mark Wright tried a similar attempt, but the ball took a deflection off Adam Barrett and flew just over the top of the crossbar.
Southend were soon appealing for a penalty when Dougie Freedman was pushed over in the box by Carl Regan, but the referee showed no interest.
Freedman was soon involved in the final third again when he drilled a shot just wide of the left-hand post from the edge of the box, as Southend looked the more likely side to increase their lead.
Despite that, it was still the visitors who provided the last serious threat of the first half when Steve Mildenhall was pressed into action to make an important save to deny Chris Dickson's fierce strike down the middle.
It took Southend just two minutes after the restart to increase their lead, with Barnard in the right spot to collect Alan McCormack's right wing cross and turn the ball in from close range.
Dickson could have given Rovers a quick response when he charged into the box, only to shoot wide of the left-hand post.
The striker then volleyed over from inside the box with another golden chance, but Bristol Rovers did pull a goal back in the 56th minute Mark Wright's cross was inadvertently turned into his own net by makeshift centre-half Anthony Grant.
The intense spell of pressure from the visitors continued, with Mildenhall alert to make a smart save from Dickson before Barnard brought some respite when he curled a 15 yard strike just narrowly wide of the post.
In the closing stages, Moussa was denied by goalkeeper Mikkel Anderson before McCormack should have put the game to rest when he blazed Lee Sawyer's square pass over.
There was a nervy moment when Rovers caused a melee inside the Southend box, which resulted in Darryl Duffy forcing a save from Mildenhall, but the Blues held out for the three points to move up to 10th in the table.
Southend: Mildenhall, Francis, Grant, Barrett, Friend, Laurent (Sawyer 74), Christophe, McCormack, Moussa (Herd 90), Freedman (Scannell 84), Barnard.
Bristol Rovers: Anderson, Regan, Wright (Williams 70), Lines, Elliott, Campbell, Dickson (Duffy 77), Hughes (Kuffour 70), Anthony, Kuffour, Lescott.
