AN APOLOGY
Please accept my apologies for the fact that this report didn't appear on the website straight after yesterday's match.
I'm afraid that my laptop 'died' on me at Southend, and despite frantic attempts to remedy whatever the problem is, it was all to no avail and I'm afraid I had no back up.
The written post match interviews with Paul Trollope and Mikkel Andersen will appear on the site later today, and I will ensure that the audio interviews are placed online by my colleagues on Monday.
Keith Brookman

A strangely lethargic first half performance cost Rovers at Roots Hall yesterday.

Danny Coles was missing from yesterday's lineup as he was taken ill on Thursday and didn't travel with the squad.

This meant a recall for Steve Elliott, who was making his first league appearance of the season, while Alex Kite was on the bench for the first time since the home game against Brighton in April of this year.

Trailing to a Lee Barnard goal in the first half, they conceded a second goal shortly after the half time interval and only then did Paul Trollope's side begin to play as we know they can.

Although they created a number of second half chances, all they had to show for their efforts was an own goal, scored by central defender Anthony Grant.

The home side went close to scoring in the second minutes, but Franck Moussa's second minute right foot volley was just wide of the upright.

After Jo Kuffour had stabbed a Jeff Hughes free kick well wide at the other end, Southend went on to enjoy a great deal of early possession and went ahead on 13 minutes.

Dougie Freedman's backheeled pass found Lee Barnard and the striker curled the ball past Mikkel Andersen from the edge of the area.

Mark Wright went close for Rovers, but his shot was deflected over the bar, but there was almost a second Southend goal when Freedman's angled drive sailed just wide of the target.

Rovers' best chance of the half came four minutes from the half time whistle when Kuffour found Chris Dickson and the striker eased past Adam Barrett, allowing him a clear shot on goal.

However goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall produced a fine save to deny him his fourth goal of the season.

Three minutes into the second half, Barnard added his, and Southend's, second goal of the game when he swept the ball home from close range following a cross from Alan McCormack.

Dickson then went close on three occasions as Rovers stepped up a gear, directing a header and a shot wide of the mark, and a volleying another effort high over the bar. All three chances came when the striker was well placed to score.

Rovers did pull a goal back on 56 minutes when Wright whipped in a cross from the right and defender Grant slid in to touch the ball into his own net.

Dickson had another chance for Rovers, but was denied by Mildenhall and in spite of their pressure, Rovers were unable to get back on level terms.

Barnard could have made the game safe for the home side, but curled a shot wide of the upright. However he had done enough damage for the afternoon and picked up the Man of the Match award for his efforts.

Rovers: Mikkel Andersen, Carl Regan, Byron Anthony, Steve Elliott, Aaron Lescott, Mark Wright (Andy Williams, 70), Chris Lines, Jeff Hughes (Ben Swallow, 70), Chris Dickson (Darryl Duffy, 77), Jo Kuffour

Substitutes: Dominic Blizzard, Charlie Reece, Alex Kite, Rhys Evans

Booked: Kuffour, Lescott, Anthony

Southend: Steve Mildenhall, Simon Francis, Jean-Francois Christophe, Adam Barrett, George Friend, Francis Laurent (Lee Sawyer, 74), Anthony Grant, Alan McCormack, Franck Moussa (Johnny Herd, 90), Dougie Freedman (Damian Scannell, 85), Lee Barnard

Substitutes: Roy O'Donovan, Stuart O'Keefe, Ian Joyce

Booked: Grant, Barnard

Referee Craig Pawson

Attendance: 6853

Rovers fans: 369