SOUTHEND United boss Paul Sturrock admitted that only a half-time rethink helped them get the better of Oxford United on Saturday, writes NICK FARRANT.

A super strike from Ryan Hall won it for the leaders after Damian Batt had cancelled out Mark Phillips’s first-half header.

With Michael Duberry left out of the line-up, United changed their formation with Damian Batt and Liam Davis playing as wing-backs in a 3-4-3 formation.

United had been perfecting the system since Tuesday when they knew the former Chelsea man’s groin injury would keep him out. And it worked particularly well in the first half.

And Sturrock said the set-up had caught him by surprise.

“It was men against boys in the first half,” said Sturrock.

“So to go in at 1-0 up at half-time was a bit of a shock. I didn’t expect the system that they turned up with and it caught me out.

“So we sorted it at half-time and I thought we were the better side in the second half.”

Sturrock praised the character of Hall after revealing he might not have played after being taken ill on Friday night.

“That’s Ryan for you,” he said. “He’s been unwell all night – sickness and diarrhoea – and all of a sudden came and played in the game.

“He put a good cross in for the first goal and the second was a wonder-goal.”

Sturrock said he was pleased with the win, though felt his side could have played better.

“When you can play bad and can still muster a win, it augurs well for the future,” added Southend’s manager.