SOUTHEND United were beaten 3-0 by Middlesbrough in the third round of the FA Youth Cup at Roots Hall tonight.

Blues had been hoping to shock the Championship club and started brightly with Max Fiddes going close to breaking the deadlock.

But a well-worked Ajay Matthew goal opened the scoring for the visitors in the first half before a penalty from Aidan Bridge and a late strike from substitute Rio Patterson-Powell saw Lee Cattermole’s side through to the next round.

The Shrimpers had beaten four sides to set up this evening’s encounter and were on the front foot early on with Fiddes seeing an early volley pushed away by Middlesbrough goalkeeper Nathan Fisher before the visiting shot-stopper also claimed another cushioned effort from Fiddes.

Mo Amir then curled a 25 yard free-kick over the crossbar before Middlesbrough broke the deadlock in fine fashion in the 31st minute when left winger Charlie Lennon swapped passes with Bridge before squaring the ball to Ajay Matthews to tap home from close range.

However, Blues came close to equalising just before the break when a right wing free-kick from Omari Williams missed a host of bodies inside the penalty area and drifted just wide of the far post.

Middlesbrough survived the scare and doubled their lead five minutes into the second half, with Aidan Bridge on target from the penalty spot.

The spot-kick was given after Blues goalkeeper Fin Purcell brought down Matthews in the box and Bridge made no mistake with a calm effort from 12 yards which he stroked into the bottom left hand corner of the net.

The Shrimpers hit back with a double change on the hour mark as Alfie Bangs took the place of Mo Amir while Chin Duru took the place of Henry Sandat who is likely to be with the first team squad at Boreham Wood tomorrow.

A third change followed in the 75th minute with Ronnie Blake replacing Beau MacDonald in midfield.

But it was Middlesbrough substitute Patterson-Powell who had the final say late on as he swept a low shot into the back of the North Bank net after Matthews' shot had bounced back off the inside of the left post.

Southend United: Purcell, Kamara , Bolarinwa, Bland, Droney, Ebondo, Amir (Bangs 60), MacDonald (Blake 75), Sandat (Duru 60), Fiddes, Williams.

Subs not used: Hatcliff, Cerullo, Bragg & Fallows