Southend's Freddy Eastwood scored his 17th goal of the season

Southend went ahead after 11 minutes in the Essex derby when Luke Guttridge crossed for Freddy Eastwood to head in his 17th goal of the season with ease.

Eastwood helped Shaun Goater set up a second for the unmarked Kevin Maher 10 minutes later.

And the victory was sealed after 31 minutes when Goater found Che Wilson, who scored from a tight angle.

Colchester: Davison, Duguid, Chilvers, Brown, White (Watson 57), Halford, Danns, Izzet (Thorpe 57), Yeates, Iwelumo, Garcia.
Subs Not Used: Williams, Baldwin, Gerken.

Southend: Flahavan, Jupp, Sodje, Barrett, Wilson, Bradbury, Maher, Guttridge (Moussa 90), Gower, Eastwood, Goater (Lawson 82).
Subs Not Used: Hunt, Pettefer, Smith.

Goals: Eastwood 11, Maher 21, Wilson 32.

Att: 5,920