Boss Jim Magilton slammed striker Alan Lee for getting himself sent off for handball late in the 2-0 defeat to Southend. The Town manager was also unimpressed with what he described as a “woeful” first half performance.
Magilton said was yet to speak to Lee about the incident which saw him handle the ball into the net and receive his second yellow card: "I haven't spoken to Alan. It was idiotic and naive from one of our senior players. When we needed him most he let us down."
The Town boss felt his side's desire was lacking in the opening period against a hungry Southend team: "The first half was woeful. It was a local derby and I wish someone had told our lads.
"We were second to every ball whereas Southend would rather have died than lose that game.
"It was a case of after the Lord Mayor's Show for us, having beaten QPR and Hull and then thinking you only have to turn up to beat lowly Southend.
"They've let me down, the staff down and the supporters down. It was a derby and we didn't put a tackle in.”
Magilton says that Franny Jeffers's time is now at an end after the striker picked up a hamstring injury: "He's looking at five or six weeks out so that's the extent of his services for us.”
Southend boss Steve Tilson didn't feel his side were at their best: "We've actually played better than that and lost, so it's nice to get a result when we haven't played as well as we have in recent weeks.
"It was a tough game today but it was all about getting a result, which is what we've done.
"It puts us right back in the mixer with the other clubs even though results haven't gone our way. If we can win five of our remaining games I think we'll stay up.
"We've got a massive week now with Burnley at home and Leeds at home. Burnley haven't played this weekend so they will be fresh, but they're not on a good run.
"Our home games will keep us up this year and they are massive games. We've got to play four of the teams around us."