AMADOU Ba bagged a brace as Southend United cruised to a comfortable 3-0 win at Bishop’s Stortford tonight.

The Frenchman netted in both halves and was joined on the score-sheet by Theo Robinson as Blues continued their pre-season preparations with a convincing triumph.

The Shrimpers named nine players with first team experience in their starting line-up and they took the lead in impressive fashion in the 22nd minute, with Ba bagging his first goal of the night.

The Frenchman reacted sharply after Isaac Hutchinson’s right wing was cleared into his path and netted with an emphatic effort from 12 yards.

Moments later, Southend came close to doubling their lead when a fine left wing cross from Stephen Hendrie was stabbed inches wide of the right post by a sliding Robinson.

The visitors continued to attack and threatened again in the 35th minute when another left wing cross from Hendrie was neatly fired home by Ba, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.

The Shrimpers then had strong shouts for a penalty waved away despite Shabazz Omoffe pulling Renei Batlokwa’s shirt inside the area.

But Southend doubled their lead just before the break when Elvis Bwomono’s well-struck shot was parried out by Bobby Mason, enabling Robinson to volley home the rebound from six yards.

At the start of the second half, Hutchinson fired just wide of the left post after some neat approach play before Michael Klass’ header from Hutchinson’s left wing corner was tipped over by Mason.

Immediately after and, with 59 minutes on the clock, Blues made a double change with Taylor Curran replacing Anton Ferdinand and Harry Phillips taking the place of Hutchinson.

And Phillips made an immediate impression as his intelligent pass enabled Ba to bag his second goal of the night as the striker smashed home the midfielder’s inviting centre to put Blues 3-0 ahead in the 64th minute.

Batlokwa soon came close to putting the Shrimpers further ahead when his low shot was smothered by Mason before four Southend made four more changes with Rob Howard, Eren Kinali, Emile Acquah and Norman Wabo all entering the action.

The substitutions meant all 11 players on the pitch for Blues came through the club’s youth system and one of the more highly rated youngsters, Phillips, soon fired over from long range.

The attacking midfielder then had another effort well saved by the keeper before Wabo fired over with just the advancing keeper to beat.

Southend United: Bishop, Bwomono, Ferdinand (Curran 59), Kyprianou, Hendrie (Howard 73), Batlokwa (Kinali 73), Klass (Bedford 80), Gard (Pianim 90), Hutchinson (Phillips 59), Ba (Wabo 73), Robinson (Acquah 73) Attendance: 302