JACK Stone’s second-half hat-trick was the centre-point of a superb performance from Southend United's under 19 side as they registered a 4-2 victory over Maidenhead United at Garon Park.

Captain Joe Poxon put Blues in the lead in just the sixth minute, but that early effort was cancelled out eleven minutes before half-time by Quaye Vine.

However, Stone netted in the 58th, 62nd and 82nd minutes to establish a healthy advantage for Danny Heath’s side, and Soul Hale’s late penalty couldn’t take the sheen off an excellent display.

“Full credit to the lads,” said Heath.

“I thought it was a good performance.

"We were the better team - I thought we dominated throughout - and the lads have got their win to go with it. To see the boys play well is pleasing, but for them it’s the icing on the cake to win the game.”

There were four changes from the team that last took to the field in the National League U19 Alliance Academy South Division five weeks ago, with goalkeeper Luca Sorrentino, defender Rio Thomas, midfielder Freddie Miller and Stone coming in for Joshua Barrett, Olu Shobowale, Joshua Jackson and Obi Okafor.

Poxon’s opener may have arrived just six minutes into the match, but by that time Southend had already seen two goals chalked off.

The skipper’s gently-lifted effort over Joseph Hybert was ruled out for offside in the second minute, while Julius Nwike saw his header from a Mitchell Ward corner disallowed for a foul.

However, the teenage Shrimpers were unrelenting in their attacking play, and they finally edged ahead after good hold-up play by Stone on the edge of the penalty area.

He slipped the ball out to Miller on the right-hand side and his cross was nodded inside the left-hand upright by Poxon.

Stone thought he should have been awarded a penalty in the 18th minute after he appeared to have his heels clipped by Nuno Cook, but his appeals were waved away.

Undeterred, he burst into the penalty area again a couple of minutes later, outpacing Rio McFarlane and cutting back for Poxon, who stumbled and sent his attempt wide from six yards out.

It was not until midway through the first half that Maidenhead threatened for the first time as Vine located Enzo Pashaj on the left-hand side of the penalty area and he arrowed his finish straight at U19s debutant Sorrentino.

After the dominance of the opening 20 minutes, Blues were not having things all their way, despite Zevieyan Makangu curling over from 25 yards out and Miller seeing a fierce attempt deflected out for a corner after Stone had chested down Ward’s left-wing cross.

Nwike also glanced a Ward delivery narrowly wide on the half-hour mark.

Nwike did well in a defensive capacity in the 27th minute to force Pashaj wide, and his shot from an acute angle was saved by Sorrentino before Cook’s strike was charged down on the edge of the penalty area.

The visitors finally equalised on 34 minutes as a result of poor play for Blues in midfield when a free-kick was passed straight to Maidenhead midfielder Kian Mirnam and he released Nathan Long on the right.

His centre was met at the far post by Vine, who drilled his finish beneath Sorrentino.

Vine also drew another save from the Shrimpers shotstopper in injury time, with Heath frustrated that his team had contributed to their own downfall in the lead-up to the interval and squandered their early advantage.

Stone had another shout for a penalty turned down as he attempted to connect with Poxon’s hanging cross early in the second period, but he was finally able to celebrate just before the hour after Thato Molefi won the ball in midfield and Miller released George Pulham for a left-wing cross that Stone thumped home on the half-volley.

Four minutes later, the Heybridge Swifts loanee had added to his tally and put Blues 3-1 up after chasing down a long ball over the top.

The low sun hindered Hybert as he attempted to collect the ball on the edge of his penalty area and Stone took advantage to force his way behind the custodian and tap into an unguarded net.

Ward saw a free-kick blocked and smashed the rebound over with a quarter-of-an-hour remaining, but Blues increased their grip on the encounter when substitute Jackson’s deep free-kick was prodded into the bottom right-hand corner by Stone to complete a 24-minute hat-trick.

With Vine having previously dragged an effort wide from six yards out, Maidenhead did net a consolation with sixty seconds of the regulation ninety minutes remaining after Pulham was adjudged to have tripped Hale, who brushed himself down to covert the penalty himself.

Substitutes Okafor and Jared Nana Asare went close in additional time, the former forcing Hybert into a smart stop with a rasping shot and the latter poking narrowly wide, but the damage had already been done as Blues recorded a second league victory of the season and lifted themselves above their opponents in the process.

Southend United: Luca Sorrentino, Julius Nwike, Mitchell Ward, Zevieyan Makangu, Rio Thomas, Thato Molefi (Olu Shobowale 90), George Pulham, Nathan Woodley, Jack Stone (Jared Nana Asare 90), Freddie Miller (Joshua Jackson 76), Joe Poxon (Obi Okafor 90).