PERHAPS Cherries fans should start looking on the bright side because, quite frankly, things cannot get any worse. Or can they?

The club is arguably at its lowest ebb for many years - both on and off the pitch - and this result merely encapsulated the general malaise surrounding Dean Court.

But while the boardroom politics are played out behind closed doors, the shortcomings of Kevin Bond and his charges are laid bare for all to see.

Maybe the directors and players should partake in a job swap with the next board meeting held in the centre circle and the next match in an executive suite.

One would probably make for interesting viewing and, considering the recent dearth of updates from the powers-that-be, could even attract a capacity crowd.

The other would probably make for painful viewing with Cherries either on the receiving end of another dismal home beating or sunk by a dramatic stoppage-time winner.

At least Bond's charges ensured a hat-trick of agonising last-gasp defeats would be avoided on Saturday - their fate as good as sealed before half-time.

But there was no hint of the capitulation that was to follow as Cherries made an enterprising start, the hosts enlivened by the return of loan star Maxi Gradel.

The tricky Ivorian had a penalty appeal turned down after just three minutes before his delicate cross led to Darryl Flahavan tipping a Sam Vokes header over the crossbar.

But once Mark Gower had fired Southend into an 18th-minute lead and Simon Francis had been gifted a second soon after, the fat lady was almost hoarse. And after Tommy Black had added a third on the stroke of half-time, she was reaching for the apple cider vinegar.

Having mustered just three goals in a six-match winless run before arriving at Dean Court, the Shrimpers were in seventh heaven after netting as many in 26 first-half minutes.

Gower pounced to score the first after Russ Perrett had been left for dead by Gary Hooper in the build-up before Gareth Stewart was betrayed by his own handling as Francis's speculative long-range effort squirmed through his grasp for number two.

At 2-0 down, the remains of Cherries' already-fragile confidence had evaporated, while, predictably, the North Stand choir started to loosen their acerbic vocal chords.

Such is the apathy among a number of supporters during these troubled times that their allegiance to either chairman Jeff Mostyn or manager Bond has now clearly all but disintegrated.

The concession of a second goal was met with chants of "We want Bondy out" from sections of the home crowd, while visiting fans chipped in with a round of "That's why you're going down".

Mostyn, whose rather hollow programme notes made no reference to the club's off-field plight, cut a lonely figure as he watched the nightmare unfold from his seat in the directors' box, while Bond must have been at his wit's end as he looked on from a doorway in the centre of the Main Stand.

Inquiring glances greeted the sight of Cherries midfielder Marvin Bartley warming-up on the touchline. "Who's coming off?" asked one wag. "Nobody," said his mate. "We're going to play with 12!"

The sulphurous atmosphere was occasionally lifted by curious renditions of "Laurence Jones's Barmy Army" and requests for Laurence to "give us a wave", to which the club's chief executive was happy to oblige.

There was little to cheer as gallows humour pervaded the terraces with Cherries staring down the barrel of another depressing home defeat, especially after further chances for Danny Hollands and Vokes had gone begging.

A chorus of boos greeted the half-time whistle and came just seconds after Southend had sliced through the Cherries defence like a knife through warm butter. In the blink of an eye, Jo Tessem's stray pass was intercepted before Hooper's exquisite assist was swept home by Black.

Bond must have been tempted to make changes with Alex from Newbury staking his claim for a second-half run-out by emphatically seeing off the challenge of Rob and Jamie during the half-time penalty competition.

Although chants of "We're gonna win 4-3" seemed fanciful as the second half got under way, there was a glimmer of hope once Lewis Hunt had turned Warren Cummings's cross past his own goalkeeper to reduce the arrears.

And after Gower had missed a 52nd-minute penalty, awarded after Perrett had hauled down Hooper, the omens looked good.

But the North Stand certainly hit the nail on the head after Hooper had restored Southend's three-goal lead, the makeshift striker getting the better of Josh Gowling to make it 4-1 in the 65th minute.

"This is embarrassing," came the cry, while chants of "Sack the board" also echoed around the ground.

There was also an airing of "Who's the daddy now?", a sarcastic reference to comments apparently made by Mostyn when he stepped foot on the North Stand a couple of months ago.

While the rumblings on the terraces cannot have gone unheard, the silence from the boardroom continues to deafen.

"Mostyn, Mostyn, sort it out".