Paul Reid made a return to the starting line up for the first time in nearly 8 years for the visit of free-scoring Southend United, with Peter Murphy taking a place on the bench.

Scott Dobie, scorer of the opener at Elland Road, kept his starting place as United looked to build on their excellent home form and take another step towards automatic promotion.

The Shrimpers started the game with half a shout for a penalty when Smith and Clarke collided in the box, but the Referee was having none of it as he waved play on. A long kick from Westwood then found Danny Graham in space, but his 19-yard grass cutter was deflected wide as he aimed for the bottom corner.

Disaster struck for United in just the 7th minute when Charlie Mulgrew whipped a deep free kick in to the box. Westwood, expecting a touch, was left stranded as it flew past everyone and in to his bottom corner.

The visitors worked hard in midfield to dampen the game after their goal, but they were let off the hook on 19 minutes when Bridge-Wilkinson picked out Graham on the edge of the 6-yard box. The big striker toe poked it beyond Flahavan, but his celebration was cut short when the offside flag went up.

Tommy Black went on a run through the middle in the 24th minute and, when the challenge didn't come, he unleashed a shot towards the bottom corner. Livesey blocked it, but it popped up in front of the wide man, giving him another opportunity for a volley. Raven was across on this occasion to divert it away for a corner.

The Shrimpers kept possession well in the 28th minute, switching play to the left to release Gower. He cut inside and forced a fingertip save from Westwood as he curled it towards the roof of the net. The set piece delivery caused further problems when Black retrieved it and sent it back in. Reid got a vital touch, taking it away from Walker as he shaped to nod it goalwards.

The Cumbrians had a spell of their own as they tried to make things happen, with Hackney and Bridge-Wilkinson crossing from wide, but Barnard was next to have a shot on target as Southend broke quickly. With no other options available, he had to try to chip the keeper, but put it right in to his hands.

Bridge-Wilkinson had a rare opportunity to go for goal deep in to time added on for the half, when Barrett hauled Graham down 22-yards from goal, but he could only find the wall as he failed to get any height on his shot.

Half Time: United 0 - 1 Southend

Peter Murphy replaced Reid immediately after the break, as the central defender failed to recover from a first half knock, with Gary Madine also joining the field of play, at the expense of Grant Smith.

The changes lifted the crowd, and United had a corner within 30 seconds when Dobie went down the right. Hackney sent it over, and Livesey did enough to nod it back in to the danger area. Clarke reacted quickly, getting it away before Graham could pounce.

If the Southend goal had an element of luck in the first half, then the equaliser had unbelievable written all over it as it squeezed over the line. It came from a free kick, won by Gary Madine tight by the corner flag, and Simon Hackney curled it towards the run of Dobie. He missed the touch, confusing Flahavan, and he could only carry it over the line as he tried to dive on top of it.

Dobie almost doubled the home teams tally in the 59th minute when Murphy clipped a cross in to the area. The United striker took it down on his chest, but Flahavan was out quickly to block the shot as he tried to cut it back to the far post.

Gary Madine flicked a header wide in United's next attack, when Raven launched a cross in to the area, and Danny Livesey was needed at the other end when Gower cut inside and drilled a powerful shot at the target. The Carlisle captain was left rubbing his head as he stood strong and did his job.

Nicky Bailey then went down as if he'd been shot in the 67th minute, as Raven slid in for a challenge, and the Referee reacted without hesitation as he produced the red card.

The Cumbrians should have taken the lead on 69 minutes, however, when Horwood lofted a high ball towards the penalty area. Flahavan and Barrett left it for each other but Danny Graham, just 3-yards from goal, somehow popped his free header over the bar.

It was a tense second half, and Barnard took matters in to his own hands in the 86th minute with a speculative shot from just outside the box. It had plenty behind it, but flew past the target with Westwood watching it closely.

Barnard was even closer in the 87th minute, following good possession, when he jinked inside and stroked a shot wide of Westwood. It came off the base of the post, and bounced back across the face of goal, to be cleared by Dobie.

Lee Barnard finally got his goal in the 90th minute when Gower picked him out with a neat cross. The tricky forward was unmarked, and was able to bullet a header in to the back of the net, despite a valiant effort from Westwood.

The Cumbrians threw men forward for the four minutes of time added on, and Dobie almost capitalised with a shot that was eventually blocked, but it was a disappointing end result as the Shrimpers held on to their late lead.

Goals

United - Hackney (52)

Southend - Mulgrew (7), Barnard (90)

Bookings

United - Bridge-Wilkinson (55), Raven (sent off 67, straight red card)

Southend - Bailey (58), Gower (90)

Teams 

United - Westwood, Raven, Livesey, Reid (Murphy 46), Horwood, Dobie, Lumsdon, Bridge-Wilkinson, G Smith (Madine 46), Hackney, Graham (Thirlwell 83). Subs - Howarth, Taylor.

Southend - Flahaven, Francis, Clarker, Barrett, Gower, McCormack, Black (Revell 80), Mulgrew, Barnard, Bailey, Walker. Subs - McDonald, Collis, Moussa, Grant.

Away fans - 460