Southend 1-0 Plymouth

Barry Corr struck early to earn Southend a deserved victory against Plymouth in League Two.

Corr reacted quickest to poke home from close range after Luke McCormick parried Marc Laird's low shot.

McCormick did well to tip away Freddy Eastwood's 25-yard free-kick before denying Laird again with his legs, while Anthony Straker skewed wide.

Rueben Reid wasted the visitors' best chance, firing straight at keeper Daniel Bentley.

Southend United manager Phil Brown told BBC Essex:

"I'm delighted because I don't think last season, seven games to go, I really won the fans admiration or hearts with the way we played football, but it wasn't my team.

"We're somewhere near to getting towards my team, with the right kind of mentality, and the right style of football."

"There's a lot more quality to come, and that will come with being used to playing alongside the guy that you are playing alongside."

"I'm always delighted for 1-0 results, and always delighted when your striker gets the winner. It means both departments are working, both with and without the ball."

Plymouth Argyle boss John Sheridan told BBC Radio Devon:

"There's very few positives, to be honest. I expected a lot more for the first game of the season but Southend deserved the victory. I didn't see that coming.

"I had too many players that didn't perform and it's cost us. I have to let it go - I've let them know and we have to sort it out as quickly as possible.

"We looked really 'leggy' and the reason for that was we kept giving the ball away."