MARK Oxley, Jason Demetriou, Jermaine McGlashan and Simon Cox have all been handed their competitive Southend United debuts against Gillingham this afternoon.

Oxley has seen off competition from Ted Smith to start between the sticks while McGlashan was preferred to Luke O’Neill on the right flank against his former club.

Southend United: Oxley, Demetriou, Thompson, Barrett, Coker, McGlashan, Leonard, Atkinson, McLaughlin, Cox, Mooney

Substitutes: Smith, White, Sokolik, O'Neill, King, Bridge & Williams