SOUTHEND United's under 19 signed off for 2024 with a fourth consecutive league victory as Danny Heath’s side triumphed 4-1 away to Dartford.

Having received a bye in the first round of the National League U19 Alliance Academy Cup, Blues now approach an elongated festive break in the best possible form as Jack Stone and Julius Nwike put the visitors two goals clear at the break.

And further strikes from Freddie Miller and George Pulham eased the teenage Shrimpers away from their opponents late on.

“There is resilience in abundance, but the boys are getting confidence from winning games of football,” declared youth team coach Heath.

“As coaches in youth development, we get confidence from seeing the boys perform well, but everyone likes winning games of football at any level.

“Performances are the bigger picture, but winning with the performance is the ideal outcome, and we’ve now won four out of four, and in each of those games we’ve been the better team and had the better players on the pitch.

“The performances are there, and the boys are getting the wins with them.

"Their team target in the first ten games was to be in the top three as a minimum, and they were in there after this game, so we’re happy that they achieved that before the afternoon fixtures."

Blues were forced into two changes as defender Rio Thomas failed a fitness test and forward Obi Okafor broke down en route to the venue for the National League U19 Alliance Academy South Division clash.

That presented Olu Shobowale and Joshua Jackson with an opportunity to impress.

However, the disruption didn’t affect Southend’s start to the match, and Pulham had already swung a 25-yard free-kick narrowly over by the time the visitors took the lead in the ninth minute.

Nathan Woodley found Mitchell Ward on the edge of the penalty area, and he worked the ball onto his left foot before angling a shot across goal that Stone diverted into the net.

Two minutes later, Blues could have doubled their advantage as Pulham was located on the right-hand edge of the penalty area and his rasping shot was turned against the underside of the crossbar by Darts goalkeeper Josh Atkinson.

Sixty seconds later, skipper Joe Poxon saw a curling finish from Zevieyan Makangu’s pass ruled out for offside.

There was a nervy moment for Southend after a quarter-of-an-hour when Ashdon Day directed an unmarked header over, but Blues made it 2-0 after 27 minutes after Stone had seen a fierce attempt charged down.

Pulham’s corner was flicked on by the forward, and Thato Molefi stabbed the ball goalwards before Nwike managed to turn home from close range.

A two-goal cushion was no more than the Shrimpers deserved, and a dominant first-half performance concluded with Makangu sending a left-footed shot inches over and Ward curling a free-kick marginally the wrong side of the right-hand post.

Dartford came out after the interval seeking to disrupt Southend’s play, and they were partially successful.

Blues struggled to create clear-cut chances, despite being awarded a number of free-kicks, with Stone seeing an indirect set-piece after a back-pass charged down before the hosts were awarded a free-kick for an identical infringement, with Blues making the block.

Dartford pulled a goal back midway through the second period when Thommo Mitcham managed to power home a header at the far post from a Luke Mandry cross.

Goalkeeper Luca Sorrentino landed awkwardly as he attempted to push the cross away, and he had to be replaced by the returning Charlie Brown as a consequence.

Although Dartford had halved the deficit, Southend immediately organised themselves and ensured there were very few anxious moments during the final 25 minutes.

The only concerning passage of play saw Blu Husthwaite send a deflected half-volley narrowly wide in the 77th minute.

Instead, Blues were the more likely team to score again, with Stone inches away from connecting with an Obi Okafor delivery in the 81st minute and Ward firing wide after Makangu had retrieved the ball on the far side.

The destination of the three points was confirmed in the 87th minute following another marauding Makangu run.

He was fouled 25 yards out and Pulham’s free-kick was parried out by Atkinson to substitute Miller, who side-footed the rebound through the goalkeeper’s legs to make it 3-1.

The scoring was completed in the sixth minute of stoppage time, with Miller involved again.

This time he tracked across the midfield before picking out a pass to Poxon, who located Pulham to slide the ball into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

Southend United: Luca Sorrentino (Charlie Brown 69), Julius Nwike, Mitchell Ward, Zevieyan Makangu, Thato Molefi (Alfie Humphrey 65), Olu Shobowale, George Pulham, Nathan Woodley (Obi Okafor 76), Jack Stone (Jared Nana Asare 90), Joe Poxon, Joshua Jackson (Freddie Miller 83).