SOUTHEND United’s under 18 side crashed back down to earth with a 4-0 defeat to Barnet at Boots & Laces on Saturday.

The Shrimpers headed into the game on the back of eight successive victories.

But they were unable to keep the remarkable run going against last season’s champions.

And Blues youth team boss Ricky Duncan had no complains about the result.

“We can’t make any excuses and on the day we lost to the much better team,” said Duncan.

“We suffered a few injuries and missed a couple of very good chances early on but days like this are all part of the development for a young player.

“Nobody wants to lose 4-0 but we’ve had a chat about it as a group already and tried to look into reasons why this happened.

“We play Barnet again in the Youth Alliance Cup this weekend and we will want to play much better against them this time.”

Barnet started brightly on Saturday and Tano Caubo saw a third minute effort bounce back off the left post before Blues were also denied by the woodwork when Damani Dias struck the crossbar.

Moments later, Shrimpers striker Norman Wabo shot wide of the target when well placed before Dias spurned a golden chance when he headed Harry Phillips’ corner straight at Barnet goalkeeper Muhammed Otuyo.

Wabo then dragged another shot off target when clean through on goal before the visitors wasted a golden chance of their own when Nana Kyei saw a penalty saved by Blues goalkeeper Josh Bexon.

The Southend shot-stopper then pulled off a stunning double save to keep the game goalless before Barnet went in front in the 42nd minute when Kyei fired home.

The Bees doubled their lead in the 63rd minute when substitute Emmanuel Bowens netted and, moments later, it was 3-0 when Daniel Cheema scored from close range.

In reply, Wabo saw a penalty kept out by Otuyo before Alex Clark fired an effort against the frame of the goal.

But, having survived the scares, Barnet hit back to complete the scoring with Matthew Stevens firing home.

Southend United U18s: Bexon, Ripsher, Clifford, Bedford, Coutts (Musselwhite 66), Mackenzie, Salami, Gard (Clark 46), Batlokwa, Wabo, Phillips (Matthews 66), Dias Sub not used: Macree.