Southend United defender Mark Phillips was taken to hospital after passing out in the dugout as Bristol Rovers struck late to secure all three points.
Phillips was substituted in the second half after a clash of heads with the hosts'' striker Matt Harrold.
Harrold''s penalty, after two Shrimpers defenders slid in on Mustapha Carayol, secured Rovers'' win.
Freddy Eastwood had gone close to scoring for Southend on his return to the club with two headers.
VIEWS FROM THE DRESSING ROOM
Southend manager Paul Sturrock told BBC Essex:
It (the Bristol Rovers penalty) is an unbelievable decision for a referee to make, he was miles away from the incident.
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The linesman hasn''t put his flag up, the boys got a shot off into the side netting and he decides it''s a coming together.
Decisions like that can hurt you big time in football.
It''s a killer, I''m absolutely gutted for everybody because I don''t think we merited losing that game.
Lineup, Bookings (2) & Substitutions (6)
Bristol Rovers
01 Bevan
04 Woodards
05 Bolger
17 Paterson
37 Parks Booked
06 Stanley
08 Gill (Dorman - 82'' )
11 Carayol
23 Lund (Richard - 79'' )
09 Harrold
26 Zebroski (Brown - 60'' )
Substitutes
02 Smith
14 Brown
34 Dorman
16 Anyinsah
18 Richard
Southend United
35 Belford
02 Clohessy
15 Phillips (Bilel - 71'' )
16 Prosser Booked
23 Barker
04 Hall
07 Grant
08 Timlin
36 Dailly (Hills - 60'' )
24 Benyon (Harris - 82'' )
37 Eastwood
Substitutes
06 Bilel
12 Ferdinand
34 Hills
14 Martin
09 Harris
Ref: Carl Berry
Att: 6,258
hoofhearted
76
GasAndrew
72
KristofShrimper
70
markbrimson
37
shrimper debs
30
lmcken
0
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