Striker Matt Harrold bagged the only goal of the game to help Southend United reserves make a winning start to their season against Northampton Town at Roots Hall this afternoon.

The transfer-listed targetman headed home a Jamie Forshaw cross at the beginning of the second half and that was enough to settle the game in favour of Blues.

 Gallery: SUFC Reserves 1 NTFC Reserves 0
 Highlights: Northampton Reserve Action

Harrold went close to opening the scoring in the 21st minute with a low, left foot shot which just went past the right post.

And moments later the striker was denied by Chris Dunn after intelligently swapping passes with Richie Foran.

Southend also included trialist midfielder Richard Langley in their side but it was Cobblers who came close to scoring just before the half hour mark as Joe Benjamin was denied by Ian Joyce when clean through on goal.

The miss increased in significance when Harrold netted from close range but Northampton again almost levelled in the 69th minute when Joyce did well to deny Ian Henderson

At the other end of the field, Peggy Lokando fired wide of the left post from the edge of the area and, with 78 minutes on the clock, substitute striker James Lindie saw his close range header superbly palmed out by Dunn.

Southend: Joyce, Owinja, Whittaker, Sankofa, Herd, Forshaw, O'Keefe, Lokando, Langley, Foran, Harrold (Lindie 77)

Photo (Graham Bridgeman-Clarke): Matt Harrold rises highest to score the only goal of the game.

Don't forget to log back onto Blues World later this evening for extended match highlights of this afternoon's match.