Southend put their off-field troubles to one side as Lee Barnard's late goal earned a 1-0 home win over Gillingham.
Striker hits injury-time winner to see off Gills
Southend United put their off-field troubles to one side as Lee Barnard fired an injury-time winner to earn a 1-0 home success over Gillingham.
The Blues are due in the High Court next week over a tax bill of £690,000 million. But those worries were temporarily forgotten when Banard tapped into an empty net from six yards after Simon Francis' long cross had been headed back across goal by Alan McCormack.
It was tough luck on former Shrimpers goalkeeper Simon Royce, who otherwise had a good night between the sticks.
But the 38-year-old keeper saved his best to superbly turn over a 25-yard Francis shot.
The Gills had a John Nutter free-kick ruled out for shirt-pulling before Andy Barcham saw his effort headed off the line by Southend skipper Adam Barrett.
And Mark Bentley fired over from close range following a free-kick from six yards that saw every Southend player lined up on the goal-line.