SOUTHEND United's under 19 side suffered their first league defeat since the opening day of the 2024/25 season, losing 4-1 away to Maidstone United.

Blues were seeking to bounce back from the disappointment of last week’s FA Youth Cup exit at the hands of Harpenden Town, but they trailed early on as Liam Wilson and Ashton Mitford netted within the opening 11 minutes.

Mitfield added a third just before half-time and Alan Bachorski scored after the break before Obi Okafor’s consolation.

Okafor was one of five changes from the team that took on Harpenden, joining fellow third-years Olu Shobowale and George Pulham as well as Nathan Woodley and goalkeeper Joshua Barrett – in for his competitive debut – in the starting 11.

Blues could have taken the lead, in the fifth minute, when Okafor’s strike was deflected wide following a good, driving run by Woodley, but instead they fell behind two minutes later when Wilson found the target.

A break down the left flank led to the ball being cut back to the Stones attacker, who unleashed a powerful left-footed shot into the right-hand corner of the net.

Five minutes later it was 2-0. Barrett brought down Mitford inside the penalty area and the referee pointed to the spot, despite Southend’s protestations about an offside in the build-up.

The same player brushed himself down to make no mistake from 12 yards.

The teenage Shrimpers managed to stem the tide thereafter, although Mitchell Ward made a superb last-ditch challenge just before the half-hour mark to thwart Elliott Wenham.

Shortly afterwards the Blues left-back was being deployed in an attacking sense as his corner was guided the wrong side of the post by Julius Nwike.

On 36 minutes, the visitors created another opening as good interplay between Okafor and Joshua Jackson led to the latter firing narrowly wide, although Mitford then spurned a good chance by blasting over at the other end sixty seconds later.

Blues would have been hoping to get in at the break without any further damage, but skipper Joe Poxon brought down Bobby Hulme on the edge of the area and Mitford shook off his marker to tap in a Rueben Jones free-kick at the far post to make it 3-0.

Heath made two changes at half-time, introducing Jack Stone and Rio Thomas for Woodley and Zevieyan Makangu, and Stone was handed the chance to immediately reduce the arrears when he was fouled by Wenham.

But his penalty was smacked against the crossbar and Blues remained three goals behind.

Barrett made a comfortable save from Wilson’s free-kick in the 56th minute before tipping Hulme’s goalbound effort against the crossbar, but midway through the second period Bachorksi converted from Mitford’s cut-back and the Stones led by four.

Maidstone had further chances, with Paddy Flynn dragging an effort wide before another effort was well held by Barrett, but it was Blues that had the final say when Stone was brought down by the goalkeeper and Okafor tucked the spot-kick away into the bottom right-hand corner to register a late consolation.

Southend United U19s: Barrett, Nwike, Ward, Jackson, Molefi (Okai-Mensah 75), Shobowale (Miller 75), Pulham, Woodley (Stone 46), Poxon, Makangu (Thomas 46), Okafor.