A dreadful performance from Harriers allowed one of their main rivals in the relegation battle to leapfrog over them in the table.  Two controversial penalties and an own goal, along with the dismissal of Jan Molby from the Harriers bench added up to a dismal afternoon for The Reds.

The game sprang into life early, Mark Gower broke free on the left and his cross to the far post was headed over the bar by on-loan striker Lawrie Dudfield.  However, referee Bates had seen a foul in the penalty area by Abdou Sall on Drewe Broughton and awarded a spot-kick.  Leon Constantine stepped up to take it and sent Stuart Brock the wrong way to open the scoring.  In the ensuing moments Harriers boss Molby was ordered to watch the rest of the game from the stand after making his views on the penalty known to the linesman nearest to him.

Southend could have doubled their advantage midway through the half with a free kick 25 yards from goal.  fortunately for Harriers Gower's shot hit Dudfield and the visitors were able to clear the danger.  Harriers' best chance of the half was created by Adam Murray who split the home defence wide open with a through ball for Jesper Christiansen but his weak shot was saved by Darryl Flahaven.  Moments later Christiansen found himself with the ball on the right wing but his cross evaded the onrushing Ian Foster. As the half drew to a close Harriers continued to press for an equaliser without success; Dean Bennett attack on the right and picked out Foster on the left but he dragged his shot across the face of goal and wide of the far post, then Murray found Matt Gadsby on the right wing and his cross to the near post was headed over by Christiansen from close range.  In stoppage time Southend had more chances, Constantine was allowed to run at the Harriers defence but Brock was able to save his shot, Constantine then volleyed wide at the near post fro Gower's low left-wing cross.

The game took a nosedive for Harriers early in the second half; Kevin Maher's cross from the right found Broughton at the far post who hit the upright, the ball was played back into the penalty area by Leon Cort but it hit Gadsby's hand and referee Bates awarded United another penalty.  This time Brock guessed correctly but was unable to reach Constantine's shot.

Harries spent much of the second half pinned back in their own half chasing shadows as they were unable to get hold of the ball and do anything creative with it.  Twenty minutes from time they were only able to half clear a corner from the right and when Maher played it back in from the opposite wing Tes Bramble headed it wide at the far post.  Soon after that Constantine was able to run at the Harriers defence again and picked out Dudfield in acres of space on the left but he shot wide of the far post when he really should have done much better.

United wrapped up the game 11 minutes from the end, Sall lost possession to Dudfield who got to the goal line on the left and crossed low into the goalmouth where Craig Hinton was only able to help it into the roof of the net in an attempt to clear.  Two minutes from time it was almost four when Gower's free kick was headed over by an unmarked Cort.