GOALS from Jamie Stevens, Blair Sturrock and trialist Yannick Boli secured Southend United reserves a 3-1 victory over Stevenage at Roots Hall today.

Stevens opened the scoring from the penalty spot inside the first minute of the match.

And Sturrock and Boli then made sure of the win with close range finishes.

Southend were awarded their early spot-kick when trialist striker Yannick Boli was brought down inside the penalty area by George Allen.

That enabled Stevens to slot home from 12 yards in to the bottom left hand corner of the net.

Stevenage immediately hit back with Ben May running clean through on goal but the striker’s low shot was saved by the outstretched left boot of Blues goalkeeper Daniel Bentley.

Southend made the most of the let-off within 60 seconds, as they doubled their lead when Boli’s right wing cross picked out Lee Sawyer and his driven shot was diverted in to the back of the net from close range by Sturrock.

Stevenage soon hit back with Guy Madjo having a shot cleared off the by Southend’s trialist and former Plymouth Argyle centre-back Krisztian Timer but the let off was only temporary as Robin Shroot soon fired home in the 25th minute via the inside of the left post.

In reply, Jemal Johnson fired a scorching 25 yard shot against the crossbar with Boli, a former Paris Saint Germain striker, somehow volleying the resulting rebound wide of a gaping goal.

On the stroke of half-time, Boli headed against the crossbar from six yards after Sturrock had flicked on a right wing cross from Johnson.

The speedy Boli, who showed some neat touches in attack, then fired over from long range at the start of the second half before Johnson forced Stevenage keeper Alan Julian in to action with a skimming shot from a similar distance.

Julian then parried out another effort from Sturrock before the Scottish striker also fired straight at the custodian from the edge of the penalty area.

Sturrock was again involved in the 80th minute when his scuffed close range shot was cleared by Allen but Stevenage then twice came close to equalising with Stacey Long being denied by Bentley before he also curled a 20 yard shot against the top of the crossbar.

But, having survived the scare, Blues then made it 3-1 late on as Boli impressively worked his way past Julian before rolling the ball in the back of the net.

Southend United: Bentley, Artemi, Timar, Prosser, Hyams, Johnson, James-Lewis, Stevens, Sawyer, Sturrock (Agyakwa 64), Boli

Subs not used: Asante, Chambers, Njie & Auger