SOUTHEND United's under 19 side dug in to register a second successive home victory in the National League U19 Alliance Academy South Division as Jack Stone and Obi Okafor grabbed the goals in a 2-1 win over Aldershot Town.

Stone gave the teenage Shrimpers the lead less than a quarter-of-an-hour into the game, but Aldershot frustrated their hosts with long periods of possession before equalising through Thomas Neal six minutes into the second period.

However, substitute Okafor converted Nathan Woodley’s cross 20 minutes from the end to make it back-to-back victories.

And coach Danny Heath was delighted with the against tough opposition. 

“They were probably one of the best footballing sides we’ve played this year in terms of their technical ability and their rotations in possession," said Heath.

 "It shows how far we’ve come since last year as a group, and how much improvement there has been.

"That was probably a game that we’d’ve lost last year, or they would’ve got a lot of chances.

“It’s a credit to the lads, and to the players we’ve recruited into the club between myself, Oisin Seager and Tom Bailey.

"Players are developing and others have come in.

"I was really pleased with the reaction to their goal in the second half, and particularly the mindset, the commitment and the composure from the boys to not concede a second when they were on top.”

Heath named an unchanged starting 11 following the 4-2 triumph against Maidenhead United at Garon Park eight days earlier, but Blues struggled to impose themselves on the game and Neal nodded wide for the hosts following a Harrison Davey centre inside the first ten minutes.

Joe Poxon flashed a shot over after linking up with Stone on the edge of the penalty area in the 11th minute, and shortly afterwards a training ground move reaped dividends as the pair combined from Mitchell Ward’s throw, which was helped onto Poxon by Rio Thomas.

The skipper flicked the ball on, and Stone thumped an unstoppable volley past Oscar Noone.

Whereas Blues had come alive after an early goal in their previous encounter, they found it difficult to retain the ball against an Aldershot side that kept possession impressively themselves, and who struck the woodwork in the 21st minute when Kian Dugdale curled against the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area.

There were glimpses of good play from Southend, and a diagonal pass from Thato Molefi to George Pulham that saw the winger release Freddie Miller was one such instance, with the midfielder’s cross nodded wide by Poxon at the near post midway through the opening period.

Nonetheless, for the most part the home side’s play was too passive, and goalkeeper Luca Sorrentino made a superb save in the 35th minute to prevent Felix Hills from equalising with a close-range shot after Davey’s initial effort from a Dugdale cross was blocked into his path.

Despite the superior possession for the visitors, Southend remained organised behind the ball, and opportunities for the Shots were restricted, whilst the half ended with Stone drawing a fine save from Noone after controlling a Thomas pass before Miller swung a 25-yard free-kick into the side-netting.

Stone, Pulham and Poxon combined for Miller to fire over early in the second half but, just six minutes after the restart, Aldershot were level as Neal exchanged passes with Hills on the edge of the penalty area to create space for an angled finish into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

Okafor replaced Miller on the hour, and he brought energy to Southend’s play, despite Sorrentino having to acrobatically turn Max Walker’s strike over the crossbar in the 64th minute.

Six minutes later, Blues were in front again as Ward located Woodley down the left flank and he centred for Okafor to flick the ball over Noone and into the top right-hand corner.

Southend didn’t look back from that moment, and Stone nodded a Ward cross into Noone’s gloves in the 73rd minute before a first-time finish from Poxon’s raking pass eleven minutes from time was directed over the advancing Noone and the crossbar.

Blues continued to press for a third goal that would have given them a cushion in the closing stages, but Noone brilliantly turned Okafor’s powerful header over the crossbar when he met a Ward cross, and Okafor then clipped a Poxon pass into the side-netting.

Having finally mastered when to press and when to sit, Southend were able to sweep forwards in numbers, and left wing-back Ward was unfortunate to see his stoppage-time strike saved at full-stretch by Noone before Stone later saw appeals for a penalty waved away, but there was to be no response from the Shots on this occasion.

Southend United: Luca Sorrentino, Julius Nwike, Mitchell Ward, Zevieyan Makangu, Rio Thomas, Thato Molefi, George Pulham (Alfie Humphrey 75), Nathan Woodley (Joshua Jackson 86), Jack Stone, Freddie Miller (Obi Okafor  60), Joe Poxon.