SOUTHEND United manager Paul Sturrock felt his side paid the price for being too overconfident at Burton Albion Saturday.

Blues went in to the game having not lost in the previous 14 outings.

But they never looked like extending that unbeaten run at the Pirelli Stadium where they crashed to a disappointing defeat.

And Sturrock insisted a poor attitude was to blame.

“There was one team out there who gave their all to make things happen and there was one who just waited for things to happen which was us,” said Sturrock.

“In football having too much confidence is just as bad as not having enough and I think that was the problem was out there.

“We had half a dozen or so players who weren't at their best and when that happens you're just not going to win a football game.

“You also need your defenders to win their headers and your strikers to hold the ball up.

“That didn't happen either and meant we were always going to be in trouble because Burton are a strong side and, give them credit, they played well.”

But, despite the disappointing defeat and performance, Sturrock refused too be too critical of his side.

And he is confident his team will produce an improved performance when they host second placed Gillingham at Roots Hall tomorrow.

“I'm sure I'll get a different kind of reaction and attitude from the players for that game,” said Sturrock.

“It was a bad day at the office at Burton but I actually wish the Gillingham game could've kicked off five minutes after that one ended because we want to get back on the rails again.

“There's no shame in one defeat in 15 matches and people have to realise we are going to lose matches between now and the end of the season.

“We obviously hope it's not going to be very many but it will happen and it's how we react to it that's important.

“We've just been on a really good run of form and now we want to try and go on another one.”