SOME angry Southend Utd picketed Roots Hall before tonight's game, but it was Orient's fans who had most to complain about come full-time this evening.
The O's turned in an indifferent display for this derby which traditionally rouses high passion among fans.
Southend secured maximum points with a second half hat-trick by Lee Barnand.
He delivered the game's sole stand-out performance.
Orient had a goal ruled out for off-side on 76 minutes after Jimmy Smith netted from close range substitute Adrian Patulea's saved shot.
Before, Barnand had fired the Shrimpers ahead with a re-taken penalty, near to the hour mark.
He headed unmarked into a gaping net twenty minutes later.
Then in the 90th minute, his shot deflected off Luke Ashworth and nestled in the net behind wrong-footed keeper Glenn Morris.
Now Orient are without a win in League One since day one of the season. At Roots Hall they suffered their heaviest defeat.
All boss Geraint Williams' major players had quiet games.
Jimmy Smith was largely anonymous.
Adam Chambers still needs to recover full fitness.
JJ Melligan seems to have gone off the boil after his blistering start to the season.
Scott McGleish was feeding off scraps. That over-states the quality of service that he, Ryan Jarvis, and later Adrian Patulea, recieved tonight.
Fans are still waiting for new forward James Scowcroft to deliver on the field.
He was an unused substitute at Roots Hall.
New loanee Kristian O'Leary got 22 minutes as replacement for Adam Chambers. There was nothing for him to make an impression upon, so far out of Orient's hands had this game become by then.
Early on in this derby, the host's had plenty of possession but next to no penetration.
Charlie Daniels was kept busy at left-back by Francis Laurent.
later, Luke Ashworth was yellow for clattering Franck Moussa The first proper piece of football Orient created came on the quarter hour mark, when Adam Chambers, JJ Melligan and Ryan Jarvis combined through the middle. The attack was snuffed out.
Orient looked hassled at the back sometimes, when bunches of red shirts chased a shrimper around the edge of the area.
On 23 minutes, Jimmy Smith fired Orient's first shot high into the second tier of the Roots Hall stand.
Daniels survived a penalty appeal straight afterwards against Damien Scannell, who was a handful in the early stages.
In fairness to Daniels, it was only Southend fans who appealed to referee Trevor Kettle.
Orient plyed Jarvis and McGleish with numerous long balls during the first balls.
But they had most joy when they played how Willams has said he wants them to.
On 28 minutes, Chambers was the width of a boot lace away from connecting at the near post with JJ Melligan's ball in, from wide out right.
Minutes later, the Irishman flashed a curling shot from 26 yards out past the right post and Southend's diving keeper Steve Mildenhall Jarvis repeated the trick past the other stick soon afterwards.
On 41 minutes, a scramble in Orient's area ended wit with Alan McCormack turning to curl a shot high and wide.
Morris did well to send the ball the same way two minutes later, when Laurent fired a specualtive shot from 20 yards which Morris turned over.
With half-time looming, Laurent headed just over as Southend had successive corners.
After the break, Southend started brightest again.
Scannell headed onto the roof of the net after Morris had came for and then pulled away from a deep cross from the right side.
Laurent rifled wide after he beat Tamika Mkandawire to a through ball.
On 53 minutes, McCormack did the same.
The Shrimpers looked the team most likely to bust the deadlock of the tie.
Townsend could so easily have done it for the O's on 55 minutes when Melligan whipped in a cross from out wide.
But he only made the weakest of connections with the ball.
Steve Purches hauled down Lee Barnand to earn a penalty for Southend on 58 minutes.
He stepped up and netted the re-taken spot kick.
Adrian Patulea replaced Townsend straight afterwards, as Williams threw three strikers at the Southend goal.
And on 76 minutes he almost prodded a shot past Mildenhall. Jimmy Smith netted the rebound but ajudged off-side.
That was as good as it got for Orient.
Team: Morris, Purches, Mkandawire, Ashworth (booked 25,) Melligan (Pires 80), Chambers (O'Leary 68), McGleish, Daniels, Jarvis, Smith, Townsend (Patulea 63).
Subs: Jones, Cave-Brown, Pires, Baker, Scowcroft, Patulea, O'Leary Attendance: 7180 of which 1656 Orient fans.
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