Barnes recorded an eye catching first away win of the season with an astonishing performance at Warners Bridge Park which gives the Barn Elms side renewed hope of beating the drop.

The Green and Golds came out of the blocks faster than Usain Bolt and had scored five tries within the first thirty three minutes.

Just three minutes into the game, scrum-half Hamish Reeves, an excellent addition to the team since his first appearance on the first XV scene in mid November, opened the scoring with Warren Gower adding the extras.

The Essex hosts reduced the arrears shortly afterwards as the prolific Andrew Frost nailed his first kick of the afternoon.

Crucially for Brett Taylor’s men, it was they who got the next points on the board as number eight Ed Sayce grabbed his sixth try of the season on the quarter hour mark of the first half.

Gower’s kick extended the lead to 14-3. Once more, a kick from Frost kept Southend in touch.

There then followed an exceptional eight minutes of sparkling wing play from Ant Wilde as he appeared to have taken the game from the reach of the hosts. His first try of the afternoon, a scorching run, was added to by Gower’s kick.

If things were not already looking bad for Southend, they quickly got even worse as lock Chris Waring was dispatched to the sin-bin, with Barnes capitalising as Wilde added his second try of the afternoon, with Gower adding the extras.

Injury then struck the home side as they lost number eight Joseph Vandermolen and winger Mark Billings in quick succession.

Wilde’s hat-trick try, converted by Gower for a 35-6 lead after just 33 minutes added further salt into the Southend wound.

However, to the credit of those in White and Brown shirts, they hit back to score the last points of the half.

Barnes captain Gary Holmes was in the sin bin as centre Simon Hoult pounced to score with Frost kicking the extras.

Barnes led 35-13 at the break.

Southend started the second period on the front foot, and Barnes found themselves down to just thirteen men early on as Dave Rogers joined Holmes on the naughty step.

Unsurprisingly, the Essex men took advantage and scored fourteen points in this period through Andy McLintock and Chris Waring, with Frost sending both conversions, and a further penalty over.

Back to their full compliment, Barnes defended manfully and, whilst not able to add any further points to their side of the scoreboard, showed real courage, grit and determination to record an excellent victory.

With their next two games against two sides also battling for survival, in the shape of Hertford and Taunton, Barnes have a real chance to climb to safety.