Michael Chopra leads the Cardiff celebrations with Joe Ledley

Darren Purse bundled Cardiff ahead after Stephen McPhail's quickly-taken free-kick caught Southend napping.

Riccardo Scimeca rammed home the second after Southend failed to deal with another set-piece.

Joe Ledley was credited with the third goal, although Southend's Simon Francis appeared to get the final touch as they slid in on Michael Chopra's cross.

Southend made the early running and were within a whisker of taking the lead when Mark Gower found width on the left to cross for Billy Paynter to glance a header on to the bar.

But within seconds, Cardiff took the lead. McPhail's quickly taken free-kick caught the Southend defence napping and as Purse and Adam Barrett lunged in the Cardiff defender got the vital touch.

Cardiff went looking for a second goal and on-loan Arsenal defender Kerrea Gilbert showed good skills to get to the dead-ball line and screw back a cross for Chopra whose shot was blocked by Peter Clarke with keeper Darryl Flahavan struggling.

The Bluebirds stretched their lead in first-half injury time as Southend again failed to cope at a set piece.

McPhail's corner fell for Chopra who held the ball up in the packed box before back-heeling it to Scimeca who rammed in his shot from 12 yards.

Cardiff surrendered a three-goal lead in their previous away trip at Plymouth but there were few signs of a repeat as they hunted a third.

Scimeca and McPhail combined slickly to release Gilbert whose fierce drive across the face of goal begged for a touch.

Cardiff bossed the second half and got a third goal when Chopra timed his run to perfection to stay onside and pull the ball back.

Francis and Ledley slid in simultaneously on the cross and although Francis appeared to get the decisive touch the Cardiff midfielder was credited with the goal.