Richard Keogh moved across to cover the vacant right back position with David Raven still suffering from a hip problem, and Kevan Hurst returned to the starting line up having spent the previous weekend on the bench at Yeovil. 

The Cumbrians enjoyed a bright opening spell with deliveries from wide from Robson and Hurst, but the ball wouldn't drop as Pericard and Dobie made themselves busy in the area.

A teasing cross from Hurst on 4 minutes found Dobie with room for the nod down and he put the ball in front of Pericard just 8 yards from goal. Francis recovered with a toe poke just as the big striker shaped to shoot.

Ian Harte found Kavanagh with a training ground free kick routine in the 6th minute but the Carlisle midfielder scuffed his shot and McCormack was able to block. Taiwo followed up but his shot was also charged down as the blue shirts kept the pressure on.

Evan Horwood sent a long range effort over the bar when the ball was half cleared into midfield with the crowd in buoyant mood, encouraged by the manner of the start.

The pressure was made to count on 11 minutes when Scott Dobie twisted away from his man on the right wing. His cross angled towards the near post and Vincent Pericard, making his home debut for the Blues, cut across his defender to divert the ball into the back of the net.

Richard Keogh earned his side a free kick with a direct run moments later but Kavanagh's shot from the intricate set piece was charged down. Hurst recovered the loose ball and picked out Dobie on the penalty spot, but the number 9 put his powerful header just inches over the bar.

Francis made his second excellent tackle of the afternoon on 18 minutes when Dobie used his strength to put himself one-on-one with Mildenhall. He appeared to create a yard but the Shrimpers right back slid in to make a clearance as the striker set himself to shoot.

Moussa had a shot blocked on the edge of the area as the visitors finally managed to get forward in the 23rd minute, but United almost doubled their lead when a Keogh pass from the right went all the way through to Robson. He carried it forward and brought a full length parry from Mildenhall when he unleashed a powerful drive from 20-yards.

The Shrimpers nearly grabbed an equaliser on 31 minutes with their first effort on target when a corner delivery bobbled around in the area. A yellow shirt made a connection but Pidgeley was well placed to beat it away with Freedman bearing in.

Ian Harte crunched the woodwork with a 6 yard header when he got himself onto the end of a Kavanagh free kick, but disaster struck for the Cumbrians on 42 minutes when a long throw into the box had Pidgeley back tracking. He got a hand to it but it fell for Francis Laurent, and he took a touch to get it out from under his feet before he buried it into the bottom corner.

Half Time: United 1 - 1 Southend

McCormack had the first effort of the second half when he shot from distance through a ruck of bodies. The ball took a slight deflection and Pidgeley could only watch as it whistled past his post.

Evan Horwood sent a great pass across the face of goal on 65 minutes but it had just too much on it as Pericard and Dobie both missed the chance of applying the finishing touch.

Mildenhall punched a low Kavanagh free kick away on 75 minutes as United struggled to find a way through the tightly packed midfield. Moussa sent a wayward volley high over the bar at the other end when Laurent centred for Barnard to nod it down as both sides wasted the opportunity to get the ball into the box.

Substitute Joe Anyinsah lifted Cumbrian spirits on 80 minutes when he latched on to a ball into the area and stroked it beneath the stranded Steve Mildenhall to hand his side a morale boosting home victory.

Goals

United - Pericard (11), Anyinsah (80)

Southend - Laurent (42)

Bookings

Southend - Grant (35), Barnard (90)

Teams 

United - Pidgeley, Keogh, Livesey, Harte, Horwood, Hurst (Anyinsah 56), Kavanagh, Taiwo, Robson, Dobie, Pericard. Subs (not used) - Collin, Bridge-Wilkinson, Murphy, Rothery, Bowman, Kane.

Southend - Mildenhall, Francis, Christophe, Barrett, Grant, McCormack, Barnard, Moussa, Freedman (O'Keefe 39), Herd, Laurent. Subs (not used) - Joyce, Asante, Whittaker.

Away fans - 173