There were three goals as many sending-offs in Southend United's 3-0 League Two victory over nine-man Mansfield Town at Roots Hall tonight.
Anthony Straker put the Shrimpers into a 25th-minute lead when he converted Kevan Hurst's cross for his second goal of the season and his first in over two months.
A player from each side saw red before the interval, with Mansfield debutante James Alabi, who was signed on loan from Stoke City on Thursday, dismissed for a late challenge on 32 minutes.
Eight minutes later, Conor Clifford followed him down the tunnel when referee Darren Drysdale punished him for a two-footed tackle on Stags striker Calvin Andrew.
Phil Brown's hosts were gifted a second on 44 minutes, when Mansfield keeper Alan Marriott caught a headed back-pass from teammate Jamie McGuire, only to then step over his own goal-line with the ball.
Hurst's long-range effort in stoppage time increased Southend's margin of victory and preceded the third sending-off of the contest, as Mansfield's Lee Beevers was shown a second yellow card.
With the result, the Shrimpers climb above the 12th-place Stags, but remain outside of the playoff positions, despite only being three points behind league leaders Oxford United.
Joe Fish
