McDonald: We defended for our lives

The Blackpool manager beamed: “I’m really proud of the players. I think they’ve been excellent over the last four games.

“We are starting to create a lot of chances and we are driving forward with purpose now. We really stuck at it and I was delighted with the display.

“The forwards get all the plaudits as they stick the ball in the back of the net but the team was magnificent.

“It was a fine performance. Not only in attack were we good but also in defence. Everyone defended for their lives.”

Mark Cullen headed Pool ahead shortly after the half- time break, when he reacted quickest to a bouncing David Norris shot, then turned provider to tee up fellow striker Jacob Blyth.

McDonald felt the win was thoroughly deserved and said: “We had to play off the front foot as much as we could and I thought we did that.

“They had a tough game against Sheffield United during the week (winning 3-1) and we wanted to take advantage of that.

“We were disappointed to go in 0-0 at half-time, but we kept at it and took our chances in the second half.

“We will take that bit of luck when they hit the post (through Jamar Loza), but with the chances we created we deserved the win.”

Both sides missed chances in an end-to-end first half, Southend’s Loza somehow hitting the post from three yards out with the goal at his mercy.

And Shrimpers boss Phil Brown was left gutted at the end.

Brown said: “They started the game better than us, but by half-time we’d had the clear-cut chances and should have been in front.

“But we didn’t take our chances and were very disappointed to lose the game in the way we did.”