The Posh under 18s are top of the table after a crushing 7-0 victory over Southend United.

The Peterborough United under 18s continued their impressive start to the campaign and in the process moved to the top of the league table following an emphatic 7-0 victory over Southend United on Wednesday morning.

In truth, the score-line could have been far greater as Dave Robertson's men dominated from start to finish against a shell-shocked Shrimpers.

It was defender James Ward who opened the scoring, heading home from close-range after excellent work from Ollie Luto, whose cross was inch-perfect for the centre back who was deployed at right-back for the afternoon.

The lead was doubled soon afterwards as former Wisbech Town front man Jack Friend controlled a diagonal ball and fired an unstoppable volley past the goalkeeper.

Friend made it 3-0 before the interval and it was a testament to bravery rather than finesse, the striker winning a 50-50 challenge with goalkeeper and seeing the ball rebound into the back of the net.

After the interval, the chances continued to be created and the goals soon followed. Leading marksman Jonathan Edwards stabbed home from close-range and then made it 5-0 himself with a back heel as Southend struggled to clear a Harry Anderson centre.

Anderson and Friend both went close to making it 6-0 before 15-year-old Harry Baldry found the back of the net with a clinical finish after an excellent pass from Anderson.

The scoring was completed by Edwards and it was arguably the goal of the game from the front man. He lashed home a superb volley from a tight angle to complete his hat-trick and continue his wonderful start to the season.

Goalkeeper Dion Henry made a couple of decent stops throughout the 90 minutes to preserve the clean sheet as Posh moved to the top of the table in style.

Meanwhile, the Posh under 16s came from behind to beat Southend 3-2 with Huw Alban-Jones netting a brace, including a great strike from 20-yards. Ewan Fieldhouse grabbed the other goal from close-range.

Posh U18s: Henry, Robinson (sub Hood), Marshall, Ward, Luto, Palmer, Trialist, Anderson, Baldry, Edwards, Phillips.