Carl Griffiths broke Southend United's hearts with a stoppage time Boxing Day goal at Roots Hall which kept Leyton Orient well ahead of the Shrimpers in the Third Division promotion stakes.

The Welsh hitman capitalised on a last-gasp mix-up between Blues goalkeeper Darryl Flahavan and left-back Damon Searle to stab the ball into an empty net and grab his 13th goal of the season to settle this festive derby match.

But this game was anything but the Christmas cracker, which a bumper 9,595 crowd had packed in to Roots Hall hoping to witness.

And Southend and Orient's best attempts to liven up the proceedings for those in attendance were hindered by referee Graham Barber, whose frustrating fussinesss destroyed any chance of a flowing spectacle.

The whistle-happy man in the middle left both sets of supporters groaning in unison as he continually blew up for the most innocuous of challenges. In fact, the Tring official nearly tallied up an offence for every minute of the first-half as he awarded an amazing total of 52 free-kicks!

However, Southend, fielding the same team for the fourth game in succession, made the better start to this promotion-chasing battle, as the seventh-placed Shrimpers attempted to close a pre-match five-point gap on their third positioned neighbours from east London.

Good combination work between Blues striker Ben Abbey and midfielder Russell Williamson opened up the Orient defence after nine minutes, but flankman David Lee hesitated with a clear sight of goal from 20-yards, allowing visiting left-back Matt Lockwood to block his eventual effort.

Three minutes later, Southend defender Searle was left screaming in vain for a penalty after being shoved in the back by the Londoners' centre-half David McGhee, as he tried to reach Martyn Booty's free-kick which had been glanced on by Martin Carruthers.

Orient finally gained sight of the Southend goal themselves after 23 minutes when Griffiths and Belgian midfielder Wim Walschaerts jumped into each other trying to convert a right-wing cross from fullback Roger Joseph, which flew over the bar.

And six minutes after, Abbey failed to connect with a Lee centre in the six-yard box, before Williamson drove wide of the left-post from 16 yards.

But it was Orient who finally registered the first shot on target, as Flahavan tipped a blistering 30-yard free-kick from former Shrimpers trainee Lockwood over the bar, which the referee somehow failed to acknowledge, giving Southend a goal-kick.

And with 45 minutes gone, Blues winger Scott Forbes was handed a similar opportunity from 20 yards, and although he hit the target, which would be the only time the shot-shy Shrimpers would test Orient custodian Ashley Bayes, his curling set-piece lacked any power.

However, the visitors had the last word of the first-half as Kelechi Opara, part of Orient's three pronged attack force, beat Southend skipper Phil Whelan to Lockwood's through ball, but Flahavan threw himself at the forward's feet and made a brave 12-yard stop.

Straight after the break, another one of Orient's trio of ex-Southend players, midfielder Andy Harris, sent over a wicked right-wing cross which just evaded Griffiths and former Shrimper Scott Houghton.

But with 52 minutes gone, the action switched ends as Carruthers beat McGhee on the right-wing, before pulling the ball back smartly for Abbey. However, Carruthers' strike partner miscontrolled the pass when he should have attempted a first time shot, allowing the Orient defender to recover and shut him out.

Former Blues skipper Harris struck a venomous 25-yard drive inches past the left-post after 56 minutes and five minutes later, Orient custodian Bayes escaped unpunished after hammering a clearance straight into Carruthers' midriff.

But Orient were beginning to gain a hold on the game at this stage, with the London-ers' boss Tommy Taylor taking off one of his strikers and reverting to a four-man midfield, which paid dividends.

With 62 minutes gone, Booty headed off the goal-line under pressure from Griffiths, who was trying to net the rebound from a point-blank Houghton shot which had looped up into the air off Flahavan's body.

But Flahavan was all over the place a few minutes later as he failed to tip away Lockwood's right-wing corner at full-stretch, leaving Griffiths to somehow head over an open goal from a couple of yards.

With 73 minutes gone, Blues midfielder Lee lashed a first-time 30-yard drive just wide of the right post after latching on to a header from the impeccable McGhee. And with the game heading for a draw, both Forbes and Lockwood both went close for either side from distance.

However, Orient had other ideas and grabbed their first ever win at Roots Hall 60 seconds into injury time. Booty was the villain of the piece as he made a far from convincing attempt to tackle Houghton on the left-wing.

The former Blues wideman seized on the opportunity and flew past Whelan before delivering a cross, which was gleefully tucked home by Griffiths from close range after Flahavan and Searle clattered each other trying to clear the danger.

(Right) No festive joy - for Southend winger David Lee

(Left) Heads I win - but striker Ben Abbey got little change from the well-marshalled Orient defence

By Bernie Friend

Reporter's e-mail: bernie.friend@notes.newsquest.co.uk

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