Walsall 5-2 Southend United

Southend United slipped to a heavy defeat at the Banks's Stadium after too many defensive errors were punished by an efficient home side who thoroughly deserved the victory.

A terrible second half period saw the Blues collapse after going into the break level at 1-1.

Hal Robson-Kanu scored that equaliser and Lee Barnard got his first goal of the season - a consolation - to make it 5-2.

Southend took time to get into the game and were wasteful in midfield. But on 16 they did have the ball in the back of the net. Alex Revell headed in after some good wing play by Kevin Betsy and Lee Sawyer, but the referee ruled the effort offside. Revell was incensed and protested his way into the book.

Walsall reacted the better of the two sides and went in front on 23, following a mistake by Simon Francis. Marco Rieich smashed home from close range, giving Steve Mildenhall no chance.

But the visitors quickly hit back. Playing some good stuff, and finally finding their feet in the middle of the park Hal Robson-Kanu equalised with an equally ferocious shot ten minutes later.

Southend played much the better stuff for the remainder of the half and could have gone ahead on the stroke of half time. Some good work by Sawyer and Betsy again handed Revell a chance to score, but his header was too weak at the far post.

However it was a totally different story in the second half.

The Saddlers took the lead in disappointing cirumstances on 48. A cross caused chaos in the box and the unfortunate Anthony Grant touched it last, beyond Mildenhall, for an own goal.

Ishmel Demontagnac - who terrorised Blues on the left all day - took advantage of some terrible defending for Walsall's third goal just two minutes later. Peter Clarke's header was too weak back to Mildenhall and although the first shot was saved by the Southend 'keeper, Demontagnac scored from the rebound. It was "schoolboy" defending according to the Southend Echo's Chris Phillips.

Demontagnac hit his second and Walsall's fourth on 69 when he floated past both Adam Barrett and Peter Clarke who both blamed each other for not picking the winger up from a corner.

And the rout was completed - as was Demontagnac's hat-trick - with just six minutes to go. His cross-cum-shot beat Mildenhall from quite a way out for 5-1. Barnard did get that goal back three minutes later but by then the damage had been done.

Steve Tilson will be livid with his side. It's Blues biggest defeat since Doncaster beat the Blues 5-1 in the League One play off semi-final second leg at the end of last season.

The Blues drop to 19th at this early stage of the campaign.

Att: 3843