Brown: Call changed the game

Southend boss Phil Brown conceded Carlisle not being awarded a penalty was the turning point in his team's 2-0 win at Roots Hall.

The Cumbrians were 1-0 down when midfielder Steven Rigg appeared to be brought down in the box by Shrimpers goalkeeper Ted Smith. But referee Trevor Kettle opted to wave play on and Brown admitted the decision changed the course of the game. "The key moment for me was the penalty not being given," said Brown. "I originally felt Ted touched the ball but then the referee gave a goal kick so I'm not sure. "If Ted has touched him then it's a penalty and I'm sure Keith Curle will be disappointed about it. "But I think maybe Trevor was too far away from the decision to actually give it. "The linesman couldn't give it because he was on the wrong side and if there's any doubt then you can't give the penalty. "There was certainly doubt in his mind because I asked him about it but there's no mistaking it was a turning point. "We looked far more solid after that and in the end we should've won by more than two goals." Fifth placed Southend are now just three points off the automatic promotion places. But they were slow to get going against the struggling Cumbrians and did not take the lead until the 50th minute when Michael Timlin netted his first goal of the season. The ball fell to the midfielder on the box after a goalmouth scramble had been cleared into his path and he made no mistake with a stunning volley which flew into the top right hand corner of the net. However, 15 minutes later came the moment of controversy when Smith's clash with Rigg went unpunished. And Southend made the most of the let off in the 72nd minute with Barry Corr scoring for the third game in succession. The Irishman was teed up by David Worrall following an excellent cross-field ball from Timlin and sent a well controlled volley into the back of the net from close range. That compounded a miserable afternoon for Carlisle and their manager Keith Curle, who has seen his side lose four games in a row. "It was a frustrating afternoon and I think most people in the ground could see we should have had a penalty," said Curle, whose team have now slumped back into the relegation zone. "Of course I'm disappointed it wasn't given but I won't say too much else about it otherwise I will get myself in hot water. "We've played four of the best teams in a row in this league and I think our fight will go right until the last game of the season."