A LATE header from Mark Phillips handed ten man Southend United a hard fought 1-0 win over Gillingham at Roots Hall tonight.

The Blues centre-back powered home an 87th minute corner from Ryan Hall to secure his side all three points.

And that was despite Southend playing the final 24 minutes with a numerical disadvantage after Bilel Mohsni had been sent off for two bookable offences.

Before the late drama, both sides had found it tough to create clear cut chances.

But, with seven minutes on the clock, Luke Rooney burst in to the Southend penalty area and saw a well struck shot smartly saved to his left hand side by Blues goalkeeper Glenn Morris.

Southend hit back and almost opened the scoring themselves in the 14th minute of the match when a left wing cross from the recalled Peter Gilbert was headed in to the path of Blair Sturrock by Mohsni and the striker cushioned a volley against the crossbar from 14 yards.

Moments later, a scorching 30 yard shot from Hall was comfortably kept out by Gillingham keeper Ross Flitney before the visitors’ Joe Martin forced Morris in to action with a similar effort at the other end of the pitch.

On the stroke of half-time, Danny Spiller fired just wide of the left post from the edge of the penalty area, meaning the game remained goalless at the break.

At the start of the second period, an under pressure Kane Ferdinand stabbed a deep right wing corner from Hall over the crossbar at the back post before Gills midfielder Danny Jackman sent a 20 yard volley looping just inches over the crossbar.

In reply, Mohsni then sent a long range effort straight at Flitney in the 53rd minute of the match before the Frenchman was shown his first yellow card of the evening.

The striker fell the floor while racing alongside former Southend centre-back Garry Richards and referee David Phillips immediately cautioned him for diving.

Following that, the Gills soon hit back with Morris again doing well to parry away a well struck shot from Rooney.

But Southend should then have opened the scoring when a left wing free-kick from Hall picked out an unmarked Phillips six yards from goal.

However, the centre-back appeared to mistime his jump and the ball flew harmlessly over his head.

After the wasted opportunity, Blues were reduced to 10 men in the 66th minute when Mohsni was shown a second yellow card after intentionally getting in the way of a Richards free-kick.

Gillingham almost made the most of their extra man in the 74th minute when Morris impressively kept out a deflected drive from Danny Kedwell and the keeper did well again to keep out substitute Stefan Payne 10 minutes later.

Morris denied the same player again in the 86th minute and, just 60 seconds later, Southend bagged a late winner as Phillips’ near post header from Hall’s right wing corner crashed in to the back of the net via the underside of the crossbar.