HALSTEAD Town ran out 3-0 winners over fellow strugglers Southend Manor to ease their Essex Senior League relegation fears, writes KEN GILLIARD.

The Humbugs triumphed in their first home game of 2023 against the league's bottom side.

Halstead went into the game on the back of a defeat at runaway league leaders Enfield.

But they will have taken consolation from their fighting performance and chances created and therefore named an unchanged line-up for the must-win encounter.

Halstead came out the blocks quickest, forcing several corners and free-kicks and it looked like Manor would be content to play on the break in the early exchanges.

The eight minute saw Halstead take the lead as Ed Plackett played in Joel Older down the left and his cross was swept in at the far post by Jordan Blackwell.

The game went through a lull as play was very stop start and Halstead lost some of their earlier fluidity as Manor were seeing more of the ball and showing some intent.

Manor had the hosts defence at sixes and sevens on 25 minutes but the Humbugs managed to scramble away.

However, there had been a swing in momentum, although the game reached the half hour mark with Halstead still ahead.

The Humbugs almost extended their lead when a Michael Brothers cross was met at the far post by Blackwell but his header just cleared the bar, as the hosts wrestled their way back into the game.

Blackwell’s corner was turned back to Alfie Cleal on the edge of the box but he curled an effort wide.

Just before half-time a header over the defence found Older, whose effort was deflected for a corner as the hosts went in at the break ahead.

The second half started with both sides on the front foot.

Halstead goalkeeper Jack Cherry needed to be quick off his line to deny Jorge Guedes while at the other end, a flowing move ended with Older’s effort being smothered by a combination Connor Beattie in the away goal and his defender.

The Manor goal led a charmed life as first an Older effort was deflected over off the back of a defender and the subsequent corner by Blackwell struck the bar.

However, on 61 minutes another corner, this time from Older, was headed home by Robbie Bennett to double the hosts' advantage.

Manor should have reduced the arrears as Guedes was free at the far post but his header was within Cherry's reach and he deflected the ball to safety with a strong hand.

The game moved into the final 20 minutes and substitute Joe Jones got away down the left and his cross found Brothers, whose shot was deflected for a corner.

However, the mounting pressure from the hosts finally played off a Jones finished superbly into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

Two corners presented Halstead more opportunities to extend the lead but on both occasions, the headers ended just the wrong side of a post as the visitors, the latter from the recently introduced Jake Brown.

The chance of the game went begging as, following good work by Ryan Taylor and Cleal, Jordan Palmer sided footed wide when alone in the box, as Halstead finished strongly.

Cherry's superb catch at the back post denied Manor's onrushing forward a simple head home late on, as Halstead claimed a vital win in their quest to stay in the Essex Senior League.