CITY got their season back on track after a miserable week by thumping Southend 3-0 at Valley Parade.

The Shrimpers had not won a League Two game all season and started terribly here, with Callum Cooke opening the scoring from the edge of the box after just five minutes.

Elliot Watt netted his side's second just after the half-hour mark, when he rounded off a glorious team move with a fine first-time finish.

And Harry Pritchard made it 3-0 just before the break when he glanced in a Billy Clarke free-kick.

Clayton Donaldson forced Southend stopper Mark Oxley into a great save in the second half, while former Bantam Timothee Dieng should have pulled one back when he somehow headed over from close range.

In the end, Southend never really threatened to come back into it, with the win lifting City up to 15th.

City's opener was certainly avoidable from a Southend point of view. A defender headed the ball straight to Clarke before promptly falling over.

That allowed Clarke time to feed Cooke on the edge of the box. He got the ball caught under his feet a bit, but managed to whip it into the bottom left corner, despite a slight touch from the keeper.

Pritchard was then bundled over 35 yards out on the right. Clarke put a good ball in, but Pritchard's flicked header was well saved low down by Oxley, a precursor of things to come.

A gorgeous ball down the inside right channel from Cooke set exciting wing-back Bryce Hosannah away. He squared for Watt to tap home, but the flag went up for offside.

Southend nearly equalised through young midfielder James Olayinka. He picked the ball up about 40 yards out and drove into the City box as if the defenders weren't even there.

He found himself one-on-one with Richard O'Donnell but slid the ball agonisingly wide.

After City appealed for a handball in the box and Olayinka went close again, the home side made it 2-0 on 33 minutes.

Clarke was under pressure on the halfway line but whipped a lovely long ball over the top for Donaldson to race on to.

Watt was all on his own in the middle, Donaldson found him, and with a glorious effort on the run, he drilled the ball low into the net past Oxley.

Ten minutes later, it was 3-0. Staunton was flattened on the right by Jason Demetriou, who earned himself a booking, and Pritchard glanced home from Clarke’s devilish free-kick.

Southend went close on three occasions just before the break. They just failed to turn home a free-kick pinballing about in the box, Shaun Hobson glanced a corner just wide and Demetriou had a low shot from 30 yards out that skimmed past the post.

Paudie O'Connor looked to have picked up a nasty head injury just after the break, but he soldiered on with a fetching white bandage around his forehead.

Emile Acquah then glanced a cross just wide for Southend, before he floored Hosannah and picked up a booking.

A crucial toe in from Connor Wood stopped Southend's exciting young full-back Elvis Bwomono having a free shot on goal from 14 yards out before Dieng nearly netted, with his rasping drive saved well low down by O'Donnell.

Wood's long ball over the top then caught Southend napping, leaving Donaldson one-on-one with Oxley down the inside left.

He ought to have done better, but the keeper made a good save, spreading himself well.

Dieng should have made it 3-1. A corner was headed back across goal and he had a free header from about five yards out but put it over.

Wood then found Donaldson with a low ball. He laid it back to Clarke who dragged his shot just wide.

City won a free-kick but before that could be taken, Donaldson limped off with a groin injury, a real worry given the club's striker shortage at present.

He even had the double whammy of being booked for taking too long to go off. Dylan Mottley-Henry eventually came on in his stead

Clarke took the free kick and that was only half-cleared. Pritchard had time to take the ball down and shoot but he fired just wide.

Pritchard was then booked for deliberately kicking the ball away.

Acquah and Olayinka blazed over from good positions late on, while Pritchard scooped a shot just wide in injury-time.

A needless yellow card at the last for Dieng summed up his and Southend’s night.

MATCH RATINGS

SOUTHEND: Oxley 6, Bwomono 7, Hobson 5, Nathaniel-George 5 (Rush 85min), Clifford 6, Dieng 4, Lennon 6, Olayinka 7, Acquah 5 (Sterling 90min), Demetriou 5, Goodship 5 (Egbri 84min). Subs (not used): Seaden, Phillips.

CITY: O’Donnell 6, A O’Connor 7, P O’Connor 7, Staunton 6, Hosannah 7, Watt 8 (Cousin-Dawson 90min), Pritchard 7, Cooke 7, Wood 7, Clarke 8, Donaldson 7 (Mottley-Henry 78min). Subs (not used) Longridge, French, Samuels, Scales, Hornby.

CITY MAN OF MATCH: Elliot Watt.