On-loan Aston Villa midfielder Jay Smith struck the crucial goal to lift Southend into the top half of Division Three after a 2-1 victory against Cambridge at Roots Hall.

Steve Broad opened the scoring for the Shrimpers after seven minutes with a close-range tap-in after an excellent run from Kevin Maher.

Cambridge, though, fought back and equalised after 28 minutes with a superb individual effort from Omer Riza, who ran from the halfway line before driving a 20-yard shot beyond goalkeeper Darryl Flahavan.

However, Southend claimed the points two minutes later when Smith found the net from an acute angle following more superb work by Maher.

Southend: Flahavan, Beard, Searle, Cort, Broad, Clark, Jenkins, Maher, Smith, Bramble, Rawle. Subs: Gay, Thurgood, Belgrave, Maye, Newman.

Cambridge Utd: Marshall, Goodhind, Warner, Duncan, Angus, Tudor, Riza, Fleming, Guttridge, Youngs, Kitson. Subs: Brennan, Murray, Wanless, Scully, Bridges.

Referee: A D'Urso (Essex).