SOUTHEND United's under 19 side survived a late scare in a 4-3 victory over Welling United at Bowers & Pitsea’s Len Salmon Stadium to register back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

Blues had seemed to be in complete control at the break as efforts by Beau MacDonald, Jack Stone and Ronnie Blake gave Danny Heath’s side a three-goal advantage.

Jack Church reduced the arrears for Welling after the interval, but Mikey Faulkner responded immediately before further strikes by Oliver Godziemski and Akinde Ogbuagli gave the hosts a fright.

It had been almost a month since Southend’s previous outing, a 2-1 win over Dorking Wanderers in the National League U19 Alliance Academy Cup, but there was no rustiness in the teenage Shrimpers’ first-half performance as they made a return to South Division action with the visit of the Wings, who had lost just one of their eight games in the league.

Indeed, Blues were quickly off the mark for 2024 as they established a lead in just the fourth minute of the match.

George Pulham did well to stay onside and he picked out MacDonald with his cross, with the midfielder making no mistake to convert beyond Archie Aldous in the Welling goal.

Ten minutes later MacDonald had the ball in the back of the net for a second time with a viciously inswinging corner that flew straight in, but on this occasion the effort was chalked off for a push in the penalty area as the delivery approached.

MacDonald was heavily involved in the early action and Welling’s Archie Gumrell was perhaps a little fortunate to avoid sanction when he appeared to raise his arm towards the Blues playmaker following a midfield tussle.

Welling threatened for the first time in the 18th minute when Godziemski fired against the post, and instead Southend stretched their lead in the 35th minute when Faulkner’s superb threaded pass caused hesitation in the Wings defence and Stone stole in to force the ball over the goal-line.

It was soon 3-0 as Blues hit their opponents on the break just five minutes later.

This time Ronnie Blake, who has developed a penchant for impressive goals, unleashed a rocket of a shot into the roof of the Welling goal from distance.

The second half began with David Kamara cutting in from a wide-left position before blazing over the crossbar in the 51st minute, and the Wings managed to cut their deficit six minutes later when, after Charlie Brown had made an excellent save to thwart Kamara, Church swept the loose ball home to make it 3-1.

It took less than 60 seconds for Southend to restore their three-goal lead as Faulkner, who recently ended a period on dual-registration with Heybridge Swifts in the Isthmian League North Division, burst forwards from the restart and superbly crafted a left-footed finish into the corner of the net.

Stone, who had earlier required treatment after stretching to bring the ball under control, was replaced on the hour mark by Obi Okafor, who was almost immediately cautioned for a foul on Church.

On 68 minutes, Welling cut their arrears for a second time after Thato Molefi had been dispossessed by Deandre Williams.

He quickly found Kamara, who provided the assist for Godziemski to steer beyond Brown.

Kamara was denied by the assistant referee’s flag just two minutes later as Welling sought to make their pressure count still further, and Heath responded by introducing Cameron Hall and Piers Hatcliff off the bench in place of Blake and Pulham.

Despite the changes, Southend were unable to stem the flow of chances created by the away team and, on 79 minutes, Welling moved to within one goal of their hosts when substitute Ogbuagli netted with a speculative strike from distance.

As nerves continued to fray, a member of the Blues coaching staff was cautioned for contesting an offside decision with three minutes remaining and, in the fifth minute of stoppage time, worse was to follow as Okafor collected his second yellow card of the match for delaying the restart of play, reducing the young Shrimpers to ten for the remainder of the match.

Despite their late numerical disadvantage, Southend clung on to pick up their third league win of the season, indebted to Charlie Brown for a crucial late save to prevent the Wings from grabbing an equaliser in the eighth minute of additional time.

The result lifts Heath’s side to 10th in the table ahead of next week’s trip to Oxford City.

Southend United U19s: Brown, Shehu, Molefi, Sibanda, Jones, Huet,  Pulham (Hatcliff 71), MacDonald, Stone (Okafor 60), Faulkner, Blake (Hall 71). 

Subs not used: Miller & Jackson.