Two second half goals saw Southend United suffer on the road, after losing 2-0 against Leeds United at Elland Road.
The Blues had impressed during a goalless first half in limiting Leeds to few chances and could have opened the scoring themselves when Scott Vernon was put through on goal.
Unfortunately, Max Gradel went on to break the deadlock in the 60th minute before substitute Luciano Becchio secured the win when he headed in their second goal during the closing stages of the match, leaving Southend four points from safety in the League One table.
The Blues made a bright start to the match, but it was still Leeds who caused the first serious threat when Robert Snodgrass' cross-cum-shot from the left was punched out by Steve Mildenhall.
It was Snodgrass again who was causing problems, as he met Gradel's right wing delivery with a powerful header that Mildenhall needed to push over the frame of the goal.
Leeds began to apply the pressure, as Snodgrass continued to be the central point of Leeds' attacks, with a deflected strike from the edge of the box sailing into Mildenhall's hands before Jermaine Beckford headed a chance wide at the far post.
A decent effort from Matt Paterson sailed narrowly over the top, as he collected a Stuart O'Keefe pass from long range before arrowing the ball just off target.
Richard Naylor met a similar fate as he soon headed a corner above the crossbar, but Southend had a great chance on the stroke of half time, as Vernon raced clear inside the penalty box, but directed a tame shot straight at Shane Higgs, with Stuart O'Keefe also in support.
At the start of the second half, the Blues continued to match their opponents, but despite limiting them in attack, they couldn't stop Leeds opening the scoring on the hour mark.
Leeds broke forward and found themselves in a two-on-two position, with Snodgrass threading a pass to Gradel, who cut inside the box and saw a low shot take a slight deflection off Pat Baldwin as it crept past Mildenhall at the near post.
Southend made a change in attack just three minutes later, with Francis Laurent replacing Paterson, but Mildenhall was needed at the other end to push away a Naylor header from a corner.
With seven minutes remaining though, Leeds went on to wrap up the three points when Becchio headed in Gradel's left wing cross from in front of goal.
Jonathan Howson nearly added a third when rifling a low shot from the edge of the box that Mildenhall saved before Jean-Yves M'Voto headed the ball up and over in the last action of the match, with the Blues now back in action on Tuesday night at home to Brentford.
Southend: Mildenhall, Sankofa, Baldwin, Barrett, Herd, Francis, Grant, Christophe, O'Keefe, Paterson (Laurent 63), Vernon (M'Voto 83).
Leeds: Higgs, Doyle, Naylor, Kilkenny, Beckford (Becchio 58), Howson, Hughes (Johnson 58), Snodgrass (Watt 86), Bromby, Gradel, Collins.
