Southend United made it three wins in a week following a well deserved 3-2 victory at York City on Saturday in Sky Bet League Two.

A Myles Weston penalty and two second half strikes from Kevan Hurst and Jack Payne earned Blues another valuable victory against a York side who finished in the play-offs last season.





Phil Brown made one change to the side that recorded a valuable victory at Cheltenham Town in midweek with the goalscorer from that game, Conor Clifford, replacing the injured Ryan Leonard, who picked up a hamstring injury on Friday night.





Brown's squad was boosted by the return of Barry Corr, who took a place on the bench after missing Tuesday's win with a neck injury picked up last Saturday.





It was the perfect start for Blues as after just eight minutes, Jack Payne's mazy run was halted in the box by York defender Dave Winfield and Weston cooly stroked home from the spot.





Blues were looking dangerous every time they were going forward and inside the opening 15 minutes, midfield pair Conor Clifford and then Gary Deegan went close to doubling the lead.





Next to try their luck was Payne – who was finding pockets of space throughout the first half – testing York 'keeper Michael Ingham, whilst Weston hit a tame effort that was pretty comfortable for the Minstermen's man between the sticks.





Nigel Worthington's men came into the game more towards the end of the half and the best opportunity they had came to Luke Summerfield, whose run from the left side culminated in a powerful strike that fizzed past Bentley's left-hand post.





However, just when it looked as if Blues would take their lead into half time, a York corner wasn't cleared and a ball back across the box was headed home by Penn at the back post, just moments before the referee Paul Tierney blew his whistle for the interval.





Blues came out after the break looking sharp, and after a half-chance falling to Weston, Phil Brown's side added a second goal thanks to Kevan Hurst I the 52nd minute.





York 'keeper Ingham failed to hold onto a looping cross from Weston and Hurst was there picking up the scraps to fire home with his left foot.





The hosts began to have chances of their own, the best falling to Michael Coulson, who curled only inches over Bentley's crossbar from outside the box, mid-way through the half.





However, with just 13 minutes remaining, Payne added gloss to the scoreline but notching Blues' third goal of the game.





The diminutive midfielder was waiting on the edge of the box to stroke home after a pinpoint cut back from substitute David Worrall.





After Williams hit over the bar for Blues, York threw everything at Blues in a bid to get back in the game and Bentley had to make a couple of sharp stops to deny Fletcher and then Winfield in the final ten minutes.





York did grab a goal back on 83 minutes as Winfield rose highest to get his head to Marvin McCoy's cross and power past Bentley from six yards out, to give Blues a nervy end to the game.





However, Blues defended resolutely to claim another terrific three points.





Blues: Bentley; White (c), Thompson, Prosser, Jerome Williams; Payne (Ibenfeldt, 84), Clifford (Atkinson, 74), Deegan; Hurst, Coulthirst (Payne, 64), Weston