Gary Rowell: Southend victory was much-needed but this shocking Sunderland stat must improve

Only Bolton are lower than Southend and if Bolton hadn’t been forced to play their youth team earlier in the season Southend would probably be propping up the rest of the league.

So, when we are talking about Saturday’s win, all that has got to be taken into account - getting three points was absolutely critical but it certainly wasn’t done in style, not that that matters too much, which is just as well.

I said before the game I would take a win no matter what, so I suppose I shouldn’t complain but I believe the players are capable of more and if we were playing a better team than Southend then there might have been a different outcome.

Sunderland have won seven times in League One this season, but not one of those victories has come against a team higher than 14th in the table, as it currently stands.

So, if we are to go up we have got to start beating top half teams and not just the strugglers.

There were positive signs, though, Willis and Lynch are gelling well, as are Power and Dobson in midfield, while Denver Hume was excellent and I loved O’Nien’s diving header.

Phil Parkinson now has two wins in two home games and if he can transfer those home results to away games, a top two position might not be out of reach after all, we are really not too far away.

I’m not sure if we learned a great deal from a narrow win over Southend but Sunderland got three points, kept another clean sheet and moved up the table - I will take that.