SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown was happy his players were all given a 70 minute work-out in a training ground match this morning.

The Shrimpers’ scheduled game at Braintree was postponed due to the state of the Cressing Road pitch.

But Brown believes the change of plan could well have been of benefit to Blues.

“It was a decent work-out and everyone ended up playing more minutes than they would have done if we went to Braintree,” said Brown.

“We were going to start one team and then change it on the hour mark so some players would have got 60 minutes and some would have got 30.

“But this way virtually all of them played 70 minutes and that’s the most pleasing thing me because it’s all about fitness at this stage.”

The green team triumphed 3-2 against the yellows with goals from Luke O’Neill, David Mooney and Nile Ranger.

Ronan Murray and Tom Rosenthal were on target for the yellows but Brown is keen to work on the defending.

“I was pleased with the five goals but that also suggests the mentality of the defending isn’t right just yet,” said Brown.

“We will certainly be working on that in Spain.”

The game saw Jakub Sokolik play as a trialist in defence while Stephen McLaughlin also featured for the first time in pre-season after recovering from an ankle injury.

Goalkeeper Mark Oxley also lined up between the sticks after signing from Hibernian while trialist winger Calaum Jahraldo-Martin played the second half.

Southend United green: Oxley. Demetriou, Thompson, Edjenguele, Coker, O'Neill, Leonard, Atkinson, McGlashan, Ranger (Phillips 60), Mooney (Wabo 46)

Southend United yellow: Smith, White, Sokolik (Kyprianou 46), Barrett, Gunning, Rosenthal, Bridge (Martin 46), Timlin, McLaughlin (Batlokwa 46), Williams, Murray