By Noel Sliney WMN

EASY business, this management lark. It is now 15 points from eight league games for John Cornforth, and the club, like his quiff, is pointing upwards.Cornforth's first match since being appointed permanent manager ultimately ended with a convincing victory, courtesy of a Leon Cort own goal and winner from Christian Roberts.

The honeymoon suffered an abrupt hiatus after 69 seconds when Alex Watson's mistake in miscuing a header was bettered by defensive partner Chris Curran, who slipped and missed the ball altogether on the edge of the penalty area to present Tesfaye Bramble with a clear opportunity he was in no mood to pass up.

"I thought 'welcome to management' when we conceded that first goal," said Cornforth, "but we showed our resolve, our backbone, and commitment to the cause to come back and win the game."

City's riposte following the goal was immediate, Kwame Ampadu directing a fierce header over the bar from Sean McCarthy's knock-down, and the same pair combining for an Ampadu shot comfortably saved by goalkeeper Darryl Flahavan.

Southend, though, showed early promise, with Bramble a thorn in the Exeter side. Arjan van Heusden had to make a reaction save from Cort's header following a free-kick by Carl Hutchings, an ex-City loanee jeered at every touch for walking out on the club last season.

City gradually emerged from their malaise to take the initiative. Ampadu, later forced off through injury, released Roberts with a beautifully disguised pass but the Welsh striker was unable to force the ball past Flahavan with two attempts. From the ensuing corner, Paul Buckle's header was cleared off the line by Dave McSweeney.

An equaliser was inevitable, although it arrived with considerable fortune. An interchange between Andy Roscoe and Roberts on the left culminated in a low driven cross across goal from the latter which Cort, emulating the eye for goal normally associated with his brother Carl, the Newcastle striker, sliced into his own net in attempting to clear.

The afternoon got even better for City three minutes into first-half stoppage time when they took the lead. Curran's long throw from the right was half- cleared to Geoff Breslan, who drove in a first-time shot which Roberts intercepted before steering his shot beyond the goalkeeper. A 60-yard sprint to embrace Cornforth illustrated the players' satisfaction with the choice of new manager.

Nonetheless, Roberts can expect a sharp word from his manager for his selfish and profligate display after the interval. He began well enough, firing in a 46th-minute cross narrowly missed by a ponderous McCarthy. But, during the next half-hour, the Welshman dwelt and lost possession when a simple pass would have put Roscoe clear; shot tamely at the 'keeper; lashed a shot into the sidenetting with team-mates unmarked in the middle; and showed too much of the ball to Flahavan when clear on goal.

"With a bit of composure, he'd score hat-tricks every week," said Cornforth.

EXETER CITY
A Van Heusden, P Buckle, A Watson, C Curran, G Power, G Cronin, K Ampadu, G Breslan, A Roscoe, C Roberts, S McCarthy. Substitutes: S Fraser, M Barlow (for Ampadu, 41 mins), P Read (Roberts, 89), J Campbell, G Birch (Breslan, 73).

SOUTHEND:
D Flahavan, D McSweeney, L Cort, P Whelan, D Searle, L Johnson, C Hutchings, D Kerrigan, B Belgrave, D Webb, T Bramble. Substitutes: D Gay, S Thurgood, S Forbes (Kerrigan, 54), M Beard (Belgrave, 54), T Richards (McSweeney, 81).

GOALS: Tes Bramble 2 (0-1), Leon Cort og 37 (1-1), Christian Roberts 45 (2-1)

BOOKED: McCarthy, Birch (Exeter)

Shots on target: Exeter 7, Southend 2

Corners: Exeter 6, Southend 2

Offsides: Exeter 4, Southend 3

Fouls: Exeter 24, Southend 17

Referee: David Crick (Worcester Park)

Attendance: 3,269  with 179 away fans