Southend start pre-season with a convincing win

Harris scored on his Southend debut with a fine header

SECOND half goals from Bilel Mohsni, Neil Harris and trialist defender Ryan Leonard ensured a comfortable victory for Southend at Dartford tonight.
Paul Sturrock fielded a different side in each half, with five trialists having the chance to impress.
They were ex-Dagenham winger Darren Currie, 19-year-old right back Ryan Leonard, Welling captain Jack Parkinson, striker Carlos Thomas and winger Jake Thomson.
Currie, Parkinson, Thomas and Thomson played in the first half, but it was the second half when Southend turned on the style.
The goalscoring was opened on the hour when Bilel Mohsni thumped the ball against the crossbar and in following a Hall corner to the back post. The final touch appeared to be off a Dartford man on the line, but it was given to the big defender.
Neil Harris added a second with a header from Peter Gilbert’s cross on 83 minutes, before Leonard stole the show late on, striking an unstoppable shot on the run from 30 yards into the top left hand corner of the net. The 778 watching were privileged – it’s unlikely they’ll see a goal as spectacular all season.
Southend (1st half): Morris, Clohessy, Phillips, Barker, Prosser, Thomson, Sawyer, Parkinson, Currie, Crawford, Thomas.
Southend (2nd half): Bentley, Leonard, Mohsni, Coughlan, Gilbert, Grant, N’diaye, Hall, Johnson, Asante, Harris.

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