Shaun Goater made his first full start for Southend last night but failed to get on the scoresheet in the 3-0 loss to League Championship side Southampton in the opening round of the League Cup.

Goater, who scored from the bench on his Shrimpers debut nine days ago, was starting his first game since late last year and had three opportunities in the loss to Harry Redknapp?s side.

The striker, who has been recovering from a calf injury picked up in pre-season with Reading, had a blocked shot after eight minutes and then had a downward header tipped round the post by Saints ?keeper Paul Smith just before half-time.

The ?keeper held on to another Goater strike late in the game by which time the favourites had a two-goal cushion courtesy of strikes from Dexter Blackstock and Nathan Dyer.

Brett Ormerod put the icing on the cake for the visitors in the 89th minute with a third in front of the 6,358 fans at Roots Hall.

Southend travel to Scunthorpe on Friday night for a league match.

Bermuda?s John Barry Nusum scored for the Virginia Beach Mariners on Sunday night in their 2-1 defeat to the Atlanta Silverbacks.

The forward, Rookie of the Year for the Philadelphia KiXX in the Major Indoor Soccer League, headed home in the 37th minute from a Jakob Fenger cross for his fourth goal of the season but it wasn?t enough to earn a share of the points against his former club.

Nusum is now joint top scorer for the United Soccer League side, who currently sit one place off the bottom of the standings ? six points clear of the Toronto Lynx.