Ricky Duncan's young charges are full of confidence after embarking on an excellent run of form, with this latest triumph extending their unbeaten sequence to six matches in all competitions. 
Despite falling behind in just the third minute of the match, efforts from Julian Okai, Anthony Furlonge and Duane Ofori-Acheampong saw the Shrimpers progress into the last sixteen of the competition for the first time since Duncan returned to the club as Head of Youth.
Goalkeeper Daniel Bentley, one of seven youth team players to appear in Blues' Essex Senior Cup victory over Barking on Tuesday night, was restored to the starting line-up in place of Luke Chambers but, other than that, Southend were unchanged from the team that thrashed Colchester United 5-0 a week ago.
Despite this, the second-year scholar's first job was to pick the ball out of the net as Oxford took advantage of some sloppy Shrimpers defending from a set-piece. A right-wing corner was not sufficiently cleared and both Jack Ross and West were afforded too much time on the ball just inside the penalty area, with West's ultimate conversion into the bottom left-hand corner aided by a deflection.
James Stevens attempted to bring his team level with a curling 25-yard effort six minutes later, but he found visiting shotstopper Nathan Silver in inspired form, the gloveman leaping to his right-hand side to paw the midfielder's shot around the post. At the other end, Conor McDonagh got Blues' hearts thumping again when a long-range piledriver passed narrowly wide of the left-hand upright.
Southend had not previously come back from falling behind to win in their ten fixtures during 2010/11, but Okai set them on their way to putting that statistic right in the 20th minute. George Smith collected the ball by the left-hand byeline and cut back for Okai, who stabbed home from close range to level.
That goal was the signal for the Shrimpers to step up their game, and Stevens began a breakaway just before the half-hour mark. After contributions from Smith and Ofori-Acheampong, the second-year received the ball just inside the penalty area and was only denied a goal by two covering defenders. From the resulting corner, Stevens flashed a 30-yard shot inches wide.
Silver completed a good low save from Okai in the 35th minute, but Blues were on the attack again within seconds. Ofori-Acheampong and Smith linked up excellently going forwards, exchanging a series of passes before the former just failed to divert his team-mate's centre with an outstretched right boot.
That interchange merely served to act as the precursor to a contender for any goal of the season award. Full-back Furlonge started the move inside his own half, pushing on up the right flank before seeking out Hicham Abdellah besides the touchline. The winger beat his man, cutting back to cross with his left foot and find Furlonge, who had continued his run into the penalty area. The defender then launched himself into an acrobatic overhead bicycle kick, sending the ball past the helpless Silver and into the top left-hand corner of the net.
When the celebrations had died down the hosts came forward again, Smith unleashing a fierce shot that the 'keeper did well to push to safety but, at the other end, Tyrone Marsh almost levelled with a strong back-post shot that Bentley managed to block with his left leg.
Silver began the second period with another magnificent save to deny captain Kane Ferdinand a second goal of the campaign, the defender having planted a powerful downwards header goalwards from Okai's corner. From another Blues flag-kick, McDonagh led a counter-attack and he appeared capable of equalising before Teddy Nesbitt's presence forced him to fire into the side-netting.
Tricky youngster Lyle Della-Verde was introduced early in the second half, and his neat play on the left wing assisted Ofori-Acheampong in making it 3-1. Della-Verde's simple pass was controlled by the towering front-man and he proceeded to lash the ball into the bottom left-hand corner from 25 yards out.
That was in the 55th minute and, during the final 35 minutes, Southend passed up the opportunity to further extend their advantage on a number of occasions. Ferdinand, who was outstanding at the back when called upon, was unfortunate to see Silver get the faintest touch to his glancing contact on an Abdellah cross, whilst Ofori-Acheampong nodded off target from the same source.
Della-Verde dragged a shot wide after fellow substitute Jack Paxman had put him clear in the penalty area, and both Michael Hyland and Paxman failed to find the net when Ofori-Acheampong himself twice crossed from the right-hand side.
Nonetheless, the Shrimpers' serene progress into the Third Round of this competition, which takes place on Saturday 11th December 2010, augers well for their next fixture, an FA Youth Cup First Round encounter against Luton Town. The Hatters visit Roots Hall on Wednesday night for a 7:30pm kick-off, with admission prices set at £3 for adults and £1 for concessions.
Southend United: Daniel Bentley, Anthony Furlonge, Teddy Nesbitt, James Stevens, Kane Ferdinand, Louis Baucutt, Hicham Abdellah (Ryan Auger 72), Michael Hyland, Duane Ofori-Acheampong, George Smith (Jack Paxman 69), Julian Okai (Lyle Della-Verde 52).
Substitutes not used: Rhys Mackay, Alex Woodyard.
Goals: Okai (20), Furlonge (40), Ofori-Acheampong (55).
Thanks to the Shrimpers Trust website for the reprinting of these reports, for the Trust's own youth section, go here:
www.shrimperstrust.co.uk/home.asp?page_id=10