A SECOND HALF brace from Jack Bridge saw Southend United beat York City 2-0 at Roots Hall.

Bridge gave the crisis-hit Shrimpers the lead with a well-taken penalty before completing the scoring with a curling shot to lift the spirits of the club’s concerned supporters.

Blues began the clash brightly and Rhys Murphy – who was making his first start since January 2022 - saw a powerful left footed shot pushed wide of the left post by York goalkeeper Ethan Ross.

Moments later Murphy burst into the left hand side of the penalty area only to fail in his attempts of teeing up Harry Cardwell to his right hand side.

In reply, York soon wasted a decent opening of their own with Mitch Hancox heading wide of the left post from 12 yards However, Blues soon replied with Noor Husin turning sharply before sending a 20 yard shot inches wide of the right post.

But, after surviving the scare, the visitors came within a whisker of breaking the deadlock when Lenell John-Lewis headed inches wide of the right post from 12 yards.

With play switching back to the other end of the field, Murphy then headed Cav Miley’s right wing corner over the crossbar in the closing action of the first half.

After the break, York skipper John-Lewis saw a powerful shot tipped over the crossbar by Nna Noukeu before Blues broke the deadlock in the 64th minute, with Bridge on target from the penalty spot.

Referee Lloyd Wood pointed to the spot after Bridge was brought down in the box by Dan Pybus and the midfielder made no mistake from the spot as he fired home into the centre of the goal.

However, York nearly netted an immediate equaliser as Nna Noukeu spilt a low shot from Hancox but Kacper Lopata spared his team-mate’s blushes with a brilliant sliding challenge to get to the rebound first.

Blues continued to battle and doubled their lead in the 71st minute, with Bridge again on target.

The midfielder showed quick feet in the left hand side of the penalty area before curling a fine right into the right hand side of the South Stand net.

The Shrimpers came close to adding a third late on when Cardwell’s low shot was well saved by Ross who then did well to also smother Hyde’s shot from the resulting rebound.