Southend United boss Alan Little paid tribute to youngster Garry Cross' inspirational reserve team performance last night - then urged his senior stars to take note of the rookie right-back's display.

Cross was a revelation as Blues' second-string bounced back from two consecutive defeats to overcome fellow Avon Insurance Combination League strugglers Wycombe Wanderers at Roots Hall.

The 19-year-old full-back from South Woodham Ferrers netted a brace of assists and goals against the Chairboys to further stake his claim for a regular first-team place - leaving Little purring with delight.

"Garry was outstanding against Wycombe and is knocking hard on my door for a first-team berth," said Little, who made his entire playing staff watch last night's encounter.

"He is a passionate lad who wants to do well and I hope the more senior players watching from the stands can learn something from his display, because none of them should take their first-team places for granted.

"But this match wasn't just about Garry, the whole team played well and showed the right attitude.

"I thought Trevor Fitzpatrick, who has been off the boil recently, put on a good show, and Gordon Connelly, part of my first-team group at the weekend, also battled hard after being dropped to the stiffs."

However, Wycombe did their best to spoil the party and took an early lead on seven minutes when Dannie Bulman bundled Maurice Harkin's right-wing centre past Blues keeper Mark Prudhoe.

Southend, though, squared things up on the half-hour mark when Cross chased a lost cause to the Wycombe by-line and pulled the ball back from a tight angle, which Fitzpatrick slid home from six yards.

Cross was also instrumental in Blues taking the lead six minutes later, when his shot from the edge of the box was blocked by Mark Westhead, leaving midfielder Adrian Clarke to drill the rebound past the grounded keeper from 12 yards.

But Cross was not finished there and got himself on the scoresheet just before the interval, placing a sweet curler past Westhead, before temporarily blotting his copybook, letting in Harkin for a second Wycombe goal in first-half injury time.

Cross made amends however, latching onto Fitzpatrick's superbly-switched pass and blasting a second goal from 18 yards on 74 minutes, although Lee Holsgrove reduced the deficit for the visitors from close range two minutes later.

Southend (5-3-2): Prudhoe, Cross, McDonald, Perkins, Johnson, Kerri-gan, Hails (Tinkler), Fitzpatrick (Abiodun), Connelly, Roach (Campbell), Clarke.

High flier - Garry Cross (left) and Wycombe's Alan Beeton rise to the occasion at Roots Hall last night

Picture: STEPHEN LLOYD

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