Southend United pressed the self-destruct button again at Plainmoor on Monday as a totally lacklustre performance handed a comfortable win to a far-from-impressive Torquay United side.

Blues travelled to Devon looking for their third consecutive Christmas victory and a continuation of their recent mini-revival which has seen them clinch hard-fought wins against Hartlepool and Peterborough.

However, it was Torquay who possessed all the fighting qualities inspired by veteran Welsh goalkeeper Neville Southall, who came back to haunt the Shrimpers following an unhappy loan spell at Roots Hall last season.

Southall broke Southend's hearts with two outstanding second-half trademark saves from the Seasiders' teenage strike force of Barry Conlon and Trevor Fitzpatrick to help seal his new side's triumph.

However, Southend only had themselves to blame after a passionless first-half which saw them revert to their old habits of over-passing the ball with no effect or cutting edge.

They managed to get their act together following a half-time rollicking from Blues boss Alvin Martin, but it was too late by then as they were already a goal-down and eventually let the Gulls cement their victory with a late point clincher.

Martin surprisingly scrapped the flat-back four which had served the Shrimpers so well in their previous two Third Division outings for a back three with wing-backs.

Rob Newman and Keith Dublin were pushed back into the centre of defence alongside skipper Simon Coleman and David Morley was recalled to the fold at right-wing back, with Mark Beard occupying the opposite defensive channel.

Alex Burns was dropped for the badly out-of-form Kevin Maher who yet again struggled to get to terms with Torquay's gritty midfield and failed to stamp any authority on the game.

For the first time during the Christmas period Martin's tactics backfired as Torquay, who made up for a lack of skill with their battling spirit, went for their visitors' throats right from the kick-off.

After seven minutes home left-back Robbie Herrera skated past Southend's sluggish defence before whipping over a cross from the by-line which Newman missed allowing Torquay forward Scott Partridge to slide the ball goalward - only to be denied by a brave two-fisted save from Martyn Margetson.

As the hosts swarmed around Southend's box Margetson needed to be alert again four minutes later when Alan Lee tried his luck with a stinging 25-yard effort - but the ex-Manchester City custodian stood firm.

Southend's two other Maine Road exiles Conlon and Morley were in the thick of the action as they tried to give the Shrimpers' limited attacking threat a boost in the first period.

Conlon smashed a 20-yard effort just wide of Southall's left hand post after 15 minutes and looked to have released Fitzpatrick goalward with a majestic header eight minutes later.

However, the young striker was denied a point-blank shot at Southall by a superbly-timed tackle from back-tracking full-back Jamie Robinson.

Morley came close to making the vital breakthrough six minutes before the break when his header curled just wide of the goal - but Torquay took the lead five minutes later.

Newman failed to close down Torquay skipper Brian McGorry and the midfielder accelerated towards the Southend goal before clipping a clever ball through to Lee who chipped the ball past the advancing Margetson.

However, Southend came out for the second-half more fired up and should have capitalised on two glorious openings to grab a share of the spoils.

Conlon was desperately unlucky on 63 minutes when he connected firmly with a right-wing cross from Scott Houghton only to see Southall stretch out a leg and save his well-struck volley before holding onto a follow up effort from Maher.

Then six minutes from time Houghton jumped brilliantly to powerfully head Newman's lobbed pass across goal to Fitzpatrick who turned away in disbelief as his close range effort was blocked on the line by Southall's weighty midriff.

However, despite South-end's pressure Torquay continued to threaten on the counter-attack and Marget-son had to push away a shot on the turn from Partridge before the striker claimed his 13th goal of the season two minutes from time.

With most of Southend's players pushed up trying to grab an equaliser, Torquay substitute Brian Healy, making his league debut following a £25,000 move from Conference outfit More-cambe, took advantage of a three-against-two breakway to slip in Partridge for a crisp shot in the right hand corner of the goal.

One down - Southend keeper Martyn Margetson could not stop Alan Lee scoring Torquay's first goal

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