Maidstone’s miserable form continued as Southend brushed them aside at the Gallagher Stadium.

It’s now nine National League games without a win for the Stones after goals from Callum Powell, Jack Bridge and Chris Wreh gave the Shrimpers a comfortable win.

There was no shortage of effort from Hakan Hayrettin’s men, they were simply beaten by a better side whose confidence is sky-high.

Jack Barham - the only change from the team beaten 3-0 at Notts County on Friday night - almost saw Maidstone off to the perfect start.

With less than a minute on the clock, he forced a mistake in the Southend defence, burst into the box and hit the ball well enough but Collin Andeng Ndi saved with his legs.

If that had gone it may have been a different game but, as it was, in-form Southend soon took control.

They took the lead in the ninth minute when the ball dropped to Powell on the edge of the box and he finished cleverly with the outside of his foot into the bottom corner.

Barham nodded over from a Ryan Galvin cross shortly after the goal and later headed at the keeper from Roarie Deacon’s centre.

But Southend were playing like a team who were second in the form guide, popping the ball around Maidstone, and looking likely to add to their lead.

An excellent low save from Mersin, after Wreh span away from Jacob Mensah and fired in a 25-yard drive, kept it at 1-0.

But number two followed in the 29th minute when a partially cleared corner ended up back with the taker, Bridge, out wide.

He cut inside from the left, skipping a couple of tackles on his way into the box before smashing the ball in the top corner.

A good goal from Southend’s point of view but Maidstone had chances to stop him.

Skipper Cavaghn Miley forced another good stop from Mersin as Southend went close to a third before half-time, the Stones keeper getting down well to touch it wide.

Shrimpers defender Gus Scott-Morriss was booked for diving in the box early in the second half, as referee Gavin Ward’s patience with the visitors’ tendency to hit the deck ran out.

A terrible miss followed as Southend countered, with Powell leaving Gavin Hoyte on the deck as he raced through and rounded Mersin only to clear the bar with an empty goal to aim at.

To their credit, Maidstone were having a go, and the crowd responded.

They nearly pulled a goal back before the hour mark, with home debutant Reiss Greenidge’s header from a Deacon corner hitting the post.

Wreh fired wide at the other end after pouncing on Mensah’s header but got his goal in the 71st minute, given time to smash home unopposed from around the penalty spot.

Maidstone: Mersin, Hoyte, Mensah, Greenidge, Deacon, Barkers (Odusanya 81mins), Booty, Corne (Pattisson 69mins), Galvin, Alabi (Fawole 65mins), Barham. Subs not used: Hadler, Ellul.

Southend: Andeng Ndi, Scott-Morriss, Hobson, Kensdale, Bridge, Husin (Demetriou 79mins), Powell (Cosgrave 61mins), Miley, Fonguck (Taylor 61mins), Wreh, Lopota. Subs not used: Lomas, Murphy.

Referee: Gavin Ward.

Attendance: 2,273 (498 away).