Coventry City

Anthony Wordsworth gave the home side an early lead, before second half goals from Anton Ferdinand and a Reice Charles-Cook own goal made it a day to forget for City, despite a late Daniel Agyei strike. 

The home side began the game in the driving seat, controlling possession well in the early stages and got their reward just six minutes into the contest. An initial Jason Demetriou effort was deflected into the path of Wordsworth to finish from close range.

The Sky Blues had the opportunity to respond soon after through Marvin Sordell. Lewis Page escaped down the left side and pulled the ball back to the edge of the box. The striker took one touch but his effort was blocked and cleared to safety.

City had another half-chance through returning striker Agyei. Dion Kelly-Evans took a touch with one foot before delivering a fantastic ball with the other, but the forward couldn’t divert it goal-bound. 

Southend thought they had doubled their advantage through Simon Cox, after the striker slotted past the oncoming Burge, but to the relief of City the linesman flag had been raised in the build-up.

The Shrimpers continued to have the better of the first half chances, as Burge was on hand to deny them again. Stephen McLaughlin was played through down the left, but from a tight angle the ‘keeper smothered his effort, clearing the ball out of play. 

The visitors responded as a set piece nearly brought them the equaliser. Page crossed a cleared corner back into the area, as Andy Rose forced a good save from Oxley. From the resulting corner, Sordell rose highest on the six-yard line but couldn’t find the target.

City had the chance to go in level at the break, with arguably their best chance of the first half. Andre Wright found space on the left and cut it back to Agyei, but the striker couldn’t convert the chance from close range. 

The Sky Blues had the first opportunity of the second half, as Andre Wright created a chance almost out of nothing. The forward picked up the ball and beat his man before bending an effort inches past the far post with the outside of his right foot. 

Southend doubled their advantage just after the hour mark. A free kick was chipped into the area and after an initial Ryan Leonard header, Ferdinand forced it over the line from close range. 

The home side wrapped up the contest as McLaughlin forced a Reice Charles-Cook own goal. After coming on just before half time for the injured Burge, the ‘keeper could only watch on as an effort rebounded off the post before hitting him and giving Southend a third goal of the afternoon.

City scored a consolation goal as the game approached the final minutes; substitute Jodi Jones did superbly to beat his man and lay it on a plate for Agyei to tap in.