Man of the Match Elliot Lee opened the scoring just 90 seconds in as he fired home from close range, before Danny Hylton made it two from the penalty spot after Lee had been upended.

It marked the Hatters first win of the new season, moving Jones' team up to 15th in the third tier.

The gaffer said: "The ground was rocking, it really was. It was a pleasing result in a lot of ways. A first clean sheet in the league which is an important thing, then a couple of changes which were gambles. I thought we were magnificent from start to finish.

"Southend are a very direct and very physical side, an energetic side, they get on seconds, they try to get it in your box, we defended – especially the back four – magnificently.

"James Shea didn't have a shot to save, for all their play and all their crosses they didn't have a chance and that was a credit to the centre halves, the back four and Glen, how we defended and how those front of them press.

"We put in a proper shift today, which is in complete contrast to the first 45 minutes at the weekend, against Peterborough we were shambolic defensively. Whereas today we went from shambolic to brilliance.

"We knew that 45 minutes on Saturday wasn't us, we were nowhere near the levels, it was more second half when we were, and ironically we had less possession and less play and less chances today, but it was probably our most convincing win."