League One top scorer Lee Barnard took his league tally to 10 goals as Southend beat Bristol Rovers 2-1.

The Shrimpers went in front in the 14th minute when Dougie Freedman back-heeled the ball to Barnard and he rifled into the bottom right corner past a diving Mikkel Andersen.

The Pirates' best chance of the half came when Chris Dickson teed up Jo Kuffour and the striker beat two Blues defenders before seeing his 20-yard effort saved by Steve Mildenhall.

Barnard bagged his second from close range when he slipped home a cross from the right byline from Alan McCormack on 47 minutes.

Rovers stepped up the pressure but Dickson missed three good chances before Rovers pulled a goal back after 56 minutes when a sliding Anthony Grant put Wright's cross through his own net under pressure from Kuffour.

Dickson then fired straight at Mildenhall from close range, before Andersen parried a Franck Moussa shot. Pirates substitute Darryl Duffy was denied late on by Mildenhall and fellow sub Andy Williams saw his follow-up cleared.