Neil Tolson promised to fire Southend United to promotion this season after his stunning treble helped destroy First Division Crystal Palace.

The 25-year-old striker gave the battered and bruised Eagles a master class in finishing in Blues' final warm-up match at Roots Hall on Saturday as he found the net with both feet and his head to cap an awesome performance from the Shrimpers - rounded off by Trevor Fitzpatrick's late goal.

"I've always been confident in my ability and I know I can score goals for Southend," pledged the hat-trick hero, who arrived at Roots Hall on a free transfer from York City this summer.

"All the lads at Roots Hall believe we can have a good season and I just want to do my bit by scoring the goals which help us to win promotion.

"I certainly couldn't have asked for a better confidence boost than to grab a hat-trick against a quality side like Crystal Palace the week before our Third Division campaign gets underway."

Crisis club Palace, who are battling for survival against debts of more than £15 million, found themselves under the cosh straight from the kick-off as the inventive Shrimpers adjusted better to the searing heat.

Steve Coppell's outfit couldn't handle the pace of Blues' lightning-quick rookie forward Yemi Abiodun, who left former Southend full-back Dean Austin on his backside after just four minutes before carving out an opportunity which David Morley just failed to convert.

Southend came close to opening the scoring again within the next 60 seconds as Tolson warmed himself up for his goalscoring heroics with two efforts which were pushed to safety.

Palace hit back and were denied by the woodwork twice as industrious right-back Wayne Carlisle and front runner Mathias Svensson both hit the frame of Mel Capleton's goal following looping left-wing centres from Andy Frampton.

However, Southend heeded the warning and never looked back after 23 minutes when

Tolson was allowed to run 20-yards with the ball before unleashing a left-foot drive from the edge of the area which flew past Palace keeper Matt Gregg.

Nine minutes later Tolson doubled his tally as he showed the sort of predatory instincts sadly lacking at Roots Hall in recent years, when he was in the right place at the right time to tap home the rebound from a Mark Beard shot with his right-foot.

For his next trick and showing Southend's fans his full repertoire, Tolson thundered a vicious 25-yard free-kick at the Palace goal in the second-half, but the Eagles substitute custodian Leon Kendall somehow palmed the ball onto the bar.

The marksman soon completed his treble however, as a Gordon Connelly corner was only half-cleared to Simon Coleman who launched the ball back into the Palace box for Tolson to head home inside the left-hand post on the hour.

Demoralised Palace, a bogey team for Blues in recent years, continued to wilt under Southend's onslaught and it was no surprise when two Shrimpers substitutes combined to score a deserved fourth goal for Alan Little's side.

Rob Newman curled a superb ball to the back-post, 25-yards from goal, which Fitzpatrick, who has made a miraculous recovery from a knee injury, slid home from a tight angle two minutes from time after beating Austin to the ball.

Southend's line-up included American trialist Lee Nakamoto, who has also had brief spells at Oxford United and QPR.

Southend: Capleton, Booty (Maher), Houghton (Newman), Beard (Livett), Coleman (Cross), Roget, Connelly (Nakamoto), Morley, Tolson (Fitzpatrick), Abiodun (Roach), Clarke (Jones).

C.Palace: Gregg (Kendall), Carlisle, Frampton, Austin, Tuttle (Harris), Linighan (Woozley), Rodger (Biggurt), Zhiyi (Evans), Svensson, Morrison, Rizzo (Martin)

Attendance: 1,708.

Up for it - Southend United's hat-trick hero Neil Tolson (front) and striking partner Yemi Abiodun rise to the challenge against Crystal Palace

(Right) Keeping tabs - Southend defender Leo Roget keeps a watchful eye during Blues' 4-0 win over Crystal Palace

Pictures: ANDY PALMER

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.