SAM Mantom feels Southend United will be boosted by today’s pre-season friendly with Tottenham Hotspur - despite suffering a 6-0 defeat.

Erik Lamela bagged a hat-trick for Spurs in a behind closed doors clash at the London club’s training ground while Fernando Llorente, Lucas Moura and Tashan Oakley-Boothe were also on target.

But Mantom still enjoyed the encounter.

“I absolutely loved being out there,” said the Shrimpers midfielder.

“I hadn’t been up against that standard of opposition since I was at West Bromwich Albion a few years ago now and it showed just how much better we need to get to try and be anywhere near that level.

“Everyone wants to improve and be the best they can but a lot of work has to go into that.

“We’ve seen that first hand now but this game will do us good, even though we lost 6-0.

“We had a lot of youngsters playing and like the manager said at the end we want to go and build on this now.”

Southend first-half: Oxley, Bwomono, White, Lennon, Hendrie, Batlokwa, Klass, Mantom, Barratt, Robinson, Ba.  

Southend second-half: Bishop, Demetriou, Turner, Kyprianou, Coker, McLaughlin, Hyam, Mantom (Klass 60), Kightly, Cox, Hopper.