SOUTHEND United manager Chris Powell heaped praise on goalkeeper Mark Oxley after seeing him win a trio of end of season awards.

Oxley was voted Blues’ Player of the Year by his team-mates and the club’s fans while he also won Save of the Season for a stunning stop which denied Plymouth Argyle’s Graham Carey back in August.

And Powell admitted he was among those to be impressed by Oxley’s fine form.

“He’s a big guy and he makes the goal look small,” said the Blues boss.

“He’s made some outstanding saves and the ones I like are the ones like against MK Dons when we already were 4-0 up.

“He made a double save right at the end which showed concentration.

“He’s vocal in the dressing room and on the pitch too.

“I’m pleased for him because I knew he had a serious injury last season and he’s a goalkeeper I like.”

Oxley has kept 10 clean sheets in Powell’s 18 games in charge.

And that has also pleased the Blues boss.

“I was a left-back many, many years ago so I take pride as a defender to have clean sheets and as manager you do too because then you know you’ve got a point or three,” said Oxley.

“Mark knew from an early stage I wanted him to get clean sheets but he didn’t have many before hand.

“I kept saying to the team that we had to get them because it will get us up the table.”

But Powell now hopes he can keep hold of Oxley.

“I understand the position he’s in but it’s out of our hands,” said Powell.

“I’m a little bit hopeful he will be our keeper next year.

“He’s proved his worth to me and over the course of the season as well.

“He’s an outstanding character and he works hard in training with Lee Harrison and the young keepers.”

Elsewhere in the end of season awards, Dru Yearwood was voted Young Player of the Year after an excellent end to the season.

Winger Stephen McLaughlin won the Goal of the Season award, which was sponsored by the Echo, for his long range effort against MK Dons in November.

Michael Turner’s late winner against Scunthorpe was named Champagne Moment of the Season.