SOUTHEND United boss Kevin Maher slammed the Shrimpers’ ‘scandalous’ defending following a 3-1 defeat to Gateshead at Roots Hall.

A first half strike from Blues wing-back Gus Scott-Morriss cancelled out Jacob Butterfield’s opener for the visitors.

But a second half penalty from Luke Hannant and a header from Ben Radcliffe saw Gateshead pick up all three points.

And Maher was clearly frustrated with the goals conceded.

"It's really disappointing and really poor,” said Maher.

“It looked like a team who had been thrown together against a team who had been together a while which is what it was.

“The first goal is really poor.

“It's one ball in behind and we should be in that channel defending.

“The recovery runs are poor and there's hesitancy about the place which you can feel.

“That's only caused by us and nothing else.

“But we got ourselves back in the game and then at half-time we spoke about a plan of how to build pressure but we do the complete opposite.

“The goals we give away are scandalous."

However, Maher’s criticism of the defending did not stop there.

“We gave pathetic goals away,” said Maher.

“We had the best defence in the league last year and it's a completely new defence now.

“That's nothing on them but too many of the goals are becoming similar.

“We've giving four penalties away now I think, we've conceded four set pieces and that's nowhere near good enough.

“It's too easy and too soft for that to happen.

“You can't give yourself any momentum in the game when you're gifting teams goals.

“We're really disappointed.

“We had some chances but they looked like a team who had played together quite a while which is what we looked like last year too.

“We're not that now and we're a team in transition.

“It looked like that but we've got to do the basics right which is not conceding set pieces and penalties.

“We want to build pressure and momentum and grow confidence that way."

And Maher is keen to see a strong reaction.

“Players in the building have got to stand up and be counted,” said Maher.

“Some of the goals are way too soft.

“You look at Barnet when it's 1-1 and we get done on one breakaway, we lose at Fylde late in the game through the same thing too.

“Sutton we're on top but one mistake and we go under.

“It's all too easy and that's the biggest worry rather than tactics or anything like that."

“But we've got to stick together, be strong and brave at the right time and show some character because it becomes tougher when you lose games.

“We've got to stick together and make the right changes we feel we need to move forward"