Another game and another defeat for Gillingham as yet again defensive errors cost them dearly in front of the Sky cameras at Priestfield on Monday night.
Two first half goals all but settled the tie with Liam Dickinson finding too much time and space in the box before firing home on ten minutes.
Joe Martin was unfortunate to be credited with an own goal just after the half hour, and despite Gavin Tomlin’s fifth strike in three games with minutes to go, Gillingham couldn’t muster an equaliser and were condemned to their fourth defeat on the trot.
With the game being shown on Sky, many fans opted to stay away from Priestfield because of recent weather conditions, but in truth it was Gillingham that froze on the night.
Gills boss Andy Hessenthaler made three changes to the side that lost at Accrington, all three enforced with Paulo Gazzaniga, Matt Lawrence and Curtis Weston coming in for the injured Ross Flitney, Charlie Lee and Jack Payne (who was only fit enough to be on the bench).
Surprisingly, there was no full debut for either Jack Evans or Connor Essam in defence and The Gills were made to pay with just ten minutes on the clock.
Former Gills defender Sean Clohessy came back to haunt his old club by swinging in a cross to the unmarked Kane Ferdinand who had all the time and space to head the ball into the path of Liam Dicksnson and the Shrimpers striker made no mistake from three yards out.
Bilel Mohsni could have doubled Southend’s lead minutes later, but Gazzaniga was on hand to pull of a fine save.
It took until the 24th minute for Gillingham to have their first attempt on goal when Lewis Montrose had a crack from distance, but Sean Morris was equal to it.
Seven minutes later and it all went wrong for the home side when former Dave Martin was allowed too much time and space down the left before whipping a ball into the box that Joe Martin inadvertantly turned home with Ferdinand lurking.
Hessenthaler had clearly seen enough at the break, taking off Lawrence and Montrose, bringing on Evans for his home debut and the ever efficient Jack Payne to steady the midfield.
In truth, the move worked and Gillingham looked more solid in the second period with Tomlin forcing Morris into a decent save, but all too often the home side went too direct, opting to fire long balls out of defence.
The Gills third sub was used up when Andy Frampton went down clutching his ankle, allowing Connor Essam to come on for his debut and three minutes before time they were finally rewarded with a goal.
In an individual piece of brilliance, Tomlin picked the ball up down the right, weaved his way past three men before unleashing a fierce shot into the roof of the net, much to the delight of the 4,000 or so Gills fans that wanted a grandstand finish.
What they wanted and what they got were two different things. It wasn’t for a lack of trying and Southend had to absorb some late pressure, but in the end it was the two defensive lapses that cost them so dearly.
FULL TIME: GILLINGHAM 1-2 SOUTHEND UNITED
Whilst Southend go top of League Two, Gillingham stay in tenth and could find themselves in the bottom half of the table by the time they head to Port Vale on Saturday.
So it is back to the drawing board for Hessenthaler and co as they look to salvage something out of a season that is fast ebbing away.
Gillingham line up: Gazzaniga, Lawrence (Evans H/T), Richards, Frampton (Essam 77), Martin, Tomlin, Montrose (J Payne H/T), Weston, Jackman, Kuffour, Kedwell.
Subs not used: Hawkes, Whelpdale.
Goal: Tomlin (87)
Southend line up: Morris, Clohessy, Mohsni, Timlin, Ferdinand, Martin (Hall 67), Phillips, Prosser, Kalala, Dickinson (Sampson 85), Barker. Subs not used: Gilbert, Grant, Harris.
Goals: Dickinson (10), Martin (og 31).
Booked: Ferdinand (50), Dickinson (85).
Referee: Mr Roger East
Attendance: 4,441 (393 Gills)