Farnborough produced an assured display as they beat a youthful Southend United XI in their penultimate pre-season friendly at Cherrywood Road on Monday night.

Physically superior, Francis Vines’ men always had the upper hand, and should have won by more than a solitary goal as they missed a host of good chances to frustrate the Boro boss.

It was left to in-form striker Mark Gamble to emerge from the bench and show the rest how to finish with his fourth goal in his last three outings, heading home a pin-point cross from Rob Saunders to ensure his side of a deserved victory.

It was a game that Boro should have, and ultimately did win, and it was another decent workout for the squad ahead of the big Southern Premier opener against Rugby Town on August 16.

Overall, Vines was happy with his side’s display.

“It was an entertaining game today and I think the fans will have gone home happy, “ he said. “It was a decent performance, but we did miss some chances again.”

“We must start putting them away. When you are just winning 1-0, if you make one mistake then you end up dropping silly points.

“There was no contest physically out there, and we controlled the game for the most part. We have such pace on the break, and when we do break quickly it’s frightning to watch.

“It was a good finish from Mark Gamble again. He’s busy, quick and strong and I have a problem in terms of picking a side. But it’s a great problem to have.

“Let’s not get in front of ourselves, because we are still missing chances, but it’s looking OK and we are creating plenty.”

Once again Boro were defensively sound, with Adam Doyle and Dave Woozley returning at centre back, and Southend were only given a sniff of a chance when the home side overplayed things at the back.

That pleased their manager again, but Vines said that the occasional casual moment at the back must be cut out before the season kicks off.

“The only time we looked in trouble was when we did too much with it at the back,” he said. “A few times we got caught on the ball, and that was the only time we were going to concede today.

“There is no need to take chances at the back. First and foremost we defend properly. Rather than take someone on, just lift the ball away and we play from there.

“We could get away with that last season, and probably against some teams in the Premier as well, but not all of them and we need to stop any bad habits.”

Boro made nine changes to the side that beat Dorchester Town last weekend, but Liam Pestle, who was originally named in the starting line-up, failed to show for kick-off. Vines insisted that the door was not closed for the full back, but he also said this week that the squad will have to be trimmed down, so Pestle’s no show may not have done him any favours.

There was a familiar face in the visitor’s dugout, with former Farnborough Town boss Dean Austin taking charge of Southend in his role as reserve team manager, and he was able to name the experienced Ritchie Foran in his line up.

And it was Austin’s youngsters who almost opened the scoring, when Alex Revell’s freekick had Beazley totally beaten after just two minutes, but he was saved by the crossbar.

But the home side took charge after that, with Darren Wheeler’s low ball into the box causing chaos, and Michael Barima skipping round the American Ian Joyce in the Southend goal, only for his cross to be cleared away.

Saunders tested Joyce with a curling freekick and Woozley saw his shot held as Boro pressed, but a slack pass from Ian Oliver to Doyle, who in turn sold Lyall Beazey short, almost cost them a goal with Charles Ademeno charging down the keeper’s clearance.

By the end of the half Boro were making chances at will, and they opened up Southend when Paul Harkness touched the ball to Saunders, who played it back to Harkness. The duo exchanged passes again and Saunders just curled the shot over.

Saunders was seeing plenty of the ball and his low shot was held as Boro finished the half strongly, before Connor Hamilton could only turn Oliver’s cross onto the post with a sliding effort from a tight angle.

Boro remained in charge after the break, and Barima should have opened the scoring after 70 minutes, heading Oliver’s cross over the bar when it seemed easier to score.

But moments later Gamble broke the deadlock, crashing home a header from Saunder’s cross. Substitute Michael Charles missed a great chance to double Boro’s lead, but he put his lunging effort over the bar in the last meaningful act of the game.

Boro conclude their pre-season campaign with a trip to Gosport Borough on Saturday (kick-off 3pm), and although Vines refused to give away what his first choice line up will be, he did admit that at some point in the game, the team that plays against Rugby will be on the field together at Privett Park.

“At some time during the game the 11 that I have in mind for Rugby will be on the pitch playing together,” he said. “I’m expecting a good game as they play football in the right way,” he added.

Boro: Beazley, Ray (Salmon 64 mins), Oliver, Doyle, Woozley, Barima (Laidler 73), Saunders, Hamilton (Rumbold 75), Wheeler, Richardson (Gamble 64), Harkness (Charles 81).

Boro keeper Chris Tardif has agreed to terminate his contract with the club. The stopper has had a change in job since signing a two-year deal with Boro in the summer, and it was felt there was no option but for him to move on.