Dougie Freedman ended Southend's miserable run with a second-half header in a 1-0 win over Bristol Rovers.
Freedman header secures first three points since October
Dougie Freedman ended Southend's miserable league run with a simple second-half header in a 1-0 win over Bristol Rovers.
The 34-year-old striker netted in the 57th minute when he latched onto a pass from debutant defender Dorian Dervite and looped the ball over goalkeeper Steve Phillips before heading in from a yard.
The veteran forward's strike gave the Shrimpers their first league victory since late October.
Southend started the brighter, with on-loan striker Theo Robinson looking dangerous. He forced Phillips to block with his feet but the hosts' other first-half attempts all went astray.
Phillips parried a Jean-Francois Christophe effort shortly after the interval before Rickie Lambert, who bagged four in Rovers' 4-2 win over Southend in October, fired straight at Steve Mildenhall.
Substitute Darryl Duffy then blew a great chance to equalise for the Pirates when he was one-on-one with Mildenhall, but the keeper blocked the forward's effort with his right foot with five minutes left.
