LIVEWIRE striker Freddy Eastwood delivered the perfect tonic for under-pressure Southend boss Steve Tilson as Saints' winning run came to a crushing halt in a 2-1 defeat at Roots Hall.

Eastwood hit a spectacular opening goal and a cracker from Alan McCormack wrapped things up after the interval.

Southend had to endure a nervy final few minutes though after Grzegorz Rasiak pulled a goal back with just three minutes remaining.

Tilson was given the dreaded vote of confidence by his chairman this week but he knows with the club bottom of the Coca-Cola Championship he needs to orchestrate a swift turnaround in fortunes.

In contrast Southampton, managed by George Burley who used to be in charge of Southend's Essex rivals Colchester, are in the thick of the promotion race and among the favourites to secure a return to the top flight at the end of the season.

It was the struggling home side who carved out the first opportunity after just four minutes with Eastwood, linked with a move away from Roots Hall in the January transfer window, firing wide from 20 yards.

Southampton hit back three minutes later with their own effort on goal but, after good build-up play, Bradley Wright-Phillips failed to trouble Southend keeper Darryl Flahavan from distance.

Wright-Phillips posed a far more serious threat after 11 minutes, though, his fiercely-struck shot from 12 yards forcing Flahavan into a good save.

The game continued to switch from end to end and the dangerous Eastwood again threatened with Southampton keeper Kelvin Davis keeping out the Southend striker's 20-yard effort.

Davis was called into action again after 17 minutes to deal with Lee Bradbury's 25-yarder as Southend continued to push for the opener.

And their efforts were rewarded midway through the half when Eastwood smashed the ball home from 30 yards.

The closest Southampton went to levelling matters before the interval were through two long-range efforts from Rudi Skacel, his first clearing the crossbar and the second saved by Flahavan.

Southend continued to push after the interval with Bradbury having a clear sight of goal only to fire his shot over from 12 yards.

In an effort to get his side back into the game, Saints boss Burley brought Kenwyne Jones on for Andrew Surman five minutes into the second half.

A couple of minutes later he also brought on Inigo Idiakez for Chris Makin after Makin had been booked for unsporting behaviour.

But the visitors continued to labour with chances continuing to be at a premium.

The home side duly doubled their lead with a spectacular effort from McCormack who curled home a 25-yard shot into bottom right hand corner after 65 minutes to put Tilson's men firmly in control.

But Southend were grateful to Flahavan 18 minutes from time as he brilliantly tipped Skacel's goalbound shot around the post to preserve his side's two-goal advantage.

And they had another let-off moments later with Wright-Phillips rattling the post.

Southampton grabbed their late consolation via Rasiak's overhead kick from six yards.

Don't miss Monday's Daily Echo for in-depth coverage and pictures and Adam Leitch's match report in this weekend's Pink.