FREDDY Eastwood proved too hot for Wycombe Wanderers on a day when the Buckinghamshire club's £500,000 undersoil heating failed.

The 21-year-old, who began the season in the Conference South with Grays Athletic, scored his tenth goal in 14 league games to inflict a first league defeat on Wycombe's new boss John Gorman and ruin Keith Ryan's 500th appearance for the Blues.

But even he felt that the game should not have gone ahead as Wanderers undersoil heating failed to thaw the pitch.

Firemen responding to an alarm at the club last week accidentally knocked the settings on the undersoil heating, meaning that it did not automatically kick in when the temperature dropped.

The pitch was still white and hard when referee Paul Melin passed it fit just one hour before kick-off.

Neither manager wanted to play and angry Southend players surrounded him on the pitch trying to persuade him to change his mind.

Even matchwinner Easton admitted afterwards that it should not have been given the go-ahead.

He said: "It was dangerous. It was icy and too slippery I had to change my boots and just get on with it but I'm glad I did now."

Wanderers boss Gorman refused to blame the conditions for the defeat but he felt that Southend's anger at being forced to play was a big factor as they adapted better to the conditions.

He said: "Southend were angry that the game went ahead and I think that helped motivate them.

"They adapted to the conditions better than we did. But it's not sour grapes. The goal didn't have anything to do with the conditions."

And even after sneaking the points, Southend boss Andy Tilson was honest enough to admit the game should not have gone ahead.

He said: "I didn't want to play it and neither did they. I was worried about getting injuries.

"The pitch ruined what should have been a good game but no-one got injured so we will give the referee the benefit of the doubt."

Southend though took to the pitch like Torvill and Dean while Wanderers looked like nervous children taking their first steps on the ice and it was no surprise when they took a 17th minute through Eastwood.

The striker, who is keeping Wanderers loanee Drewe Broughton out of the Shrimpers side, capitalised on a mistake by Roger Johnson to rifle a low shot past Wanderers glovesman Frank Talia.

Talia also made vital saves to twice deny burly frontman Wayne Gray as Southend's crisp football promised more goals.

Wycombe, missing flu victim Steve Guppy, were fortunate to be just the one goal down at the break and even though they dominated possession in the second half they could not find a way past visiting keeper Bart Griemink.

Twice the woodwork came to Southend's rescue, with Craig Faulconbridge hitting the underside of the bar with a flick header from Tony Craig's corner in the first half and then Griemink pushing a second half Mike Williamson effort with the rebound falling into the keeper's arms.

Ryan also went close to marking his milestone match with a goal but Gray got back to block his effort on the line as both competed to reach a Stephen Cooke cross.

But the woodwork also came to Wycombe's rescue in the second half when Andy Edwards saw his 63rd minute effort from a Southend corner come back off the frame of the goal.

Gorman said afterwards: "We took a while to get going and they deserved to take the lead. But we came back very well in the second-half and if it wasn't for the woodwork and some bad luck, we would have got the result.

Wycombe: Talia, Uhlenbeek, Johnson, Williamson, Craig, Cooke (Easton 81), Ryan, Senda, Tyson, Stonebridge, Faulconbridge - subs not used: Silk, Nethercott, Williams, Bloomfield.

Bookings: none.

Southend: Griemink, Hunt, Edwards, Barrett, Wilson, Pettefer, Maher, Bentley, Gower (Dudfield 46), Gray, Eastwood - subs not used: Nicolau, Flahavan, Bramble, Corbett.

Bookings: Edwards (foul 65).

Referee: Paul Melin.

Attendance: 5,669.

Wanderers 0 Southend 1