Swansea City are still flying high at the top of League One after a comfortable and classy Family Day performance at the Liberty Stadium.
Goals from Warren Feeney, Angel Rangel and Tom Butler gave the Swans a deserved victory after dominating a Southend side who were reduced to 10 men in the 35th minute with the dismissal of Nicky Bailey for a second booking.
The only down side to the victory saw Feeney stretchered off midway through the first half with an ankle ligament injury that will keep him out until the New Year.
Swansea City: de Vries, Rangel, Painter, Lawrence, Tate (c), Britton, Pratley, Bodde, Robinson, Anderson, Feeney. Subs: Tate, Orlandi, Bauza, Butler, Knight.
Southend: Collis, Hunt, Clarke, Gower, Maher (c), MacDonald, Morgan, Richards, McCormack, Hammell, Bailey. Subs: Flahavan, Francis, Black, Hooper, Moussa.
Ref: R J Beeby
Asst-refs: S P Snartt, A M Turner
4th official: A Matthews
Att: 12,629 Away: 379
Premier Club Man of the Match: Angel Rangel
Swansea welcomed back defenders Garry Monk (groin) and Marcos Painter (hamstring) from injury for this vital League One clash with sixth-placed Southend.
But striker Jason Scotland was forced to withdraw with a stomach muscle strain picked up in training yesterday. Scotland failed a fitness test this morning and was replaced by Warren Feeney as manager Roberto Martinez went with a 4-3-3 line-up in a bid to maintain their place at the top of the table.
Swansea made a positive start as they dominated possession in the opening 10 minutes without really troubling Steve Collis in the visitors' goal.
Paul Anderson looked in fine form wide on the right as his pace forced Kevin Maher to concede a foul which earned him the first yellow card of the game.
And Swansea didn't have to wait too long for the opener when Angel Rangel latched onto a great ball from Ferrie Bodde with 18 minutes gone. Rangel's byline cross was met by Warren Feeney with a great header.
Swansea were full of confidence now as Andy Robinson went on a weaving run before forcing Collis into a comfortable save.
Swansea were dealt a blow in the 31st minute when Feeney was stretchered off with his leg in a brace. He was replaced by Guillem Bauza.
Southend were down to 10 men four minutes later, however, when Nicky Bailey was booked twice in quick succession.
The first came for dissent in the 34th minute following a foul on Darren Pratley. Then a minute later he brought down Pratley again for his second yellow and a red.
Half-time: Swans 1 Southend 0
Swansea remained in conrol after the break as Southend made two changes with Franck Moussa and Simon Francis coming on for Dean Morgan and Alan McCormack.
Bodde had a great chance in the 54th minute to increase the lead after creating space for himself inside the area. But twice his goalbound shots were blocked.
But Swansea didn't have to wait long to open up a two-goal gap. Angel Rangel pushed forward in support and when the ball broke to him inside the area, he tucked a cool finish into the far corner for his second goal of the season.
With Swansea well in control, Tom Butler came on for Paul Anderson with an hour gone.
With 64 minutes gone, Swansea had a great chance to make it 3-0 when Andy Robinson was fouled by Garry Richards inside the area.
Robinson picked himself up, only to see his penalty well saved by Collis.
Robinson nearly made amends minutes later with a fierce shot which flew just wide, before Leon Britton scrapped the wrong side of the post with 72 minutes gone.
Bodde was the next to try his luck with a long range shot which Collis did well to save as Southend were forced to defend in numbers.
Bauza fired a deflected shot into the side netting before Swansea made their final substitution with Andrea Orlandi replacing Robinson with 10 minutes remaining.
Three minutes later and Orlandi created Swansea's third when he somehow managed to squeeze out of the corner to slip a ball to Marcos Painter whose cross was glanced home by the head of Tom Butler.
