BLUES boss Phil Brown feels Saturday’s fine win at Oxford United will put his side under more pressure to perform.

Southend returned to form and winning ways with a well deserved 2-0 triumph at the Kassam Stadium.

But Brown feels the Shrimpers will now be expected to maintain the level of this improved display.

“This doesn’t relieve the pressure, in fact it probably puts more on because the expectancy level is high here and rightly so,” said Brown.

“The players, fans and management all expect us to so well and this win was therefore long overdue for us.

“We scored two goals and could’ve had more. Kevan Hurst could’ve had two and so could Cauley Woodrow but I’m still pleased.

“I felt before the game that the wind was back in our sails because there had been good signs in training and the performance was there for all to see.”

However, Brown was also keen to not get carried away by the victory.

And he now wants Blues to keep on impressing.

“This is just one win in 46 games and we need to make sure we build on it with good performance on Tuesday against Dagenham in JPT and then, even more importantly, at Burton as well in the league next weekend,” said Brown.

“I was also pleased that we were able to keep a clean sheet and this is something we need to build on now.”

But, as they attempt to do so, Brown also hopes refereeing decisions will also start to go the Shrimpers’ way as they were denied what seemed a clear cut penalty when Johnny Mullins brought down Barry Corr.

“We should definitely have had a penalty when Barry was brought down in the area,” said Brown.

“We should also have had a penalty against Bristol Rovers when Jack Payne was brought down too.

“We actually had an email from the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) on Friday saying they got that one wrong.

“It’s too late by then to be honest as key decisions seem to be going against us but hopefully that can change and we might get a penalty one day.”