Paxman struck after eight minutes and Mullings in the last of the regulation ninety to help Blues’ Youths register their first win in four matches, extending their unbeaten run to seven League fixtures and pleasing the club’s Head of Youth Ricky Duncan in the process.
“It wasn’t our best overall performance of the season, and I’m sure that we’ve played better and lost,” he claimed. “But it’s our first win for a while after three draws and last week’s postponement at Millwall, so I’m happy in that respect.”
Duncan will have been delighted with the rip-roaring start his charges made to the game, finally taking the lead in the ninth minute. By that time they had already gone close on three occasions with Mullings’ overhead bicycle kick from a Robert Hyams left-wing throw the first time that the AFC Wimbledon goalkeeper was brought into action.
That was in the second minute and, within sixty seconds, the Shrimpers had threatened twice more as Mullings, looking eager to make an early impression, flashed a shot wide from 30 yards out and then Jack Payne found the goalkeeper’s gloves from Kamal Creary’s knock-down.
However, the constant pressure exerted by the hosts finally told when the returning Jack Edwards - back in the side in place of the hospitalised Michael Hyland, who is battling illness - found Paxman and the tricky midfielder advanced to the edge of the penalty area, where he drove the ball precisely into the bottom right-hand corner.
Southend threatened again in the tenth minute when Payne saw a close-range effort charged down and Edwards’ follow-up was deflected off-target from Ryan Auger’s right-wing cross, and Auger himself was next to curse his luck four minutes later as he collected Creary’s short corner and watched in anguish as his curling delivery bounced away off the crossbar.
The Dons’ custodian made an excellent save just after the quarter-of-an-hour mark as Blues relentlessly pushed on, somehow clawing Edwards’ downward header from a deep Creary flag-kick out besides the base of the right-hand post. The shotstopper was at it again four minutes later as he kept out Payne’s shot with his legs after Mullings had robbed a defender of possession.
A rare foray into the Southend penalty area ended midway through the half when the impressive Edwards nicked the ball off a forward with a perfectly-timed challenge from behind, and within two minutes play had switched back to the other end where Mitchell Pinnock drilled Aaron Tatham’s hooping ball into the danger zone and Payne was unable to turn home.
Louis Baucutt was named captain in Hyland’s absence, and he set up Mullings for a powerful 27th minute run that culminated in a fierce shot that the ‘keeper kept out with the ball almost beyond him. Even with the wind behind them, Blues were unable to sustain their momentum in the final 20 minutes of the half and goalkeeper Ted Smith made a 35th minute stop from Sam Buffour in the final action of the opening period.
It looked initially as through Southend would build up another head of steam in the second half, with Payne smashing a Baucutt long throw at the ‘keeper within two minutes of the restart, but Wimbledon responded with a bouncing effort wide from 25 yards and it was not until after the hour that the Shrimpers would threaten again.
Payne was the man in prime position to score and twice in three minutes he did well to dart ahead of his man at the near post but, on both occasions, he was unable to find the target, firstly half-volleying Hyams’ centre over and then glancing Auger’s cross from the right flank past the far post with a diving header.
Smith saved a skidding shot midway through the half, but Southend ended strongly and substitutes Harry Jeffrey and Jack Bridge combined in the 89th minute with the exciting Under-16 talent stabbing Jeffrey’s corner wide at the back post.
The Shrimpers did seal their comfortable success within seconds of that opportunity as the Dons goalkeeper made his one mistake of the match, dithering in his own area and allowing Mullings to steal in before racing away and lashing the ball into the top right-hand corner.
Smith made a fine save in stoppage time to tip Tom Beere’s attempt over the crossbar, but there was no denying Blues a clean sheet ahead of next week’s rearranged trip to Colchester United.
Southend United: Ted Smith, Ryan Auger, Robert Hyams, Jack Edwards, Louis Baucutt, Aaron Tatham, Kamal Creary (Harry Jeffrey 75), Jack Paxman, Shamir Mullings, Jack Payne (Jack Bridge 81), Mitchell Pinnock (Josh Banton 89).
Goals: Paxman (9), Mullings (90).
Thanks to the Shrimpers Trust website for the reprinting of these reports, for the Trust's own youth section: www.shrimperstrust.co.uk