Southend United manager Phil Brown has admitted that Exeter City were deserved winners of today's League Two encounter at Roots Hall.

The Shrimps twice took the lead early on courtesy of a Mark Phillips brace, but failed to hold on as the visitors ran out 3-2 winners.

"Of course I'm disappointed and, after being 2-1 up we should have seen out the game, but Exeter deserved to win," Brown is quoted as saying by Sky Sports.

"They played with the verve and tempo we couldn't ever seem to get in our play and the whole place just seemed to be a little bit flat.

"We've gone off the boil a bit since losing to Hull and we need to get back out there now, roll up our sleeves and get stuck in rather than lying back and thinking of England."

Despite the loss, Southend remain in a playoff spot.