Bim Pepple’s brace powered Southend to a 4-0 rout of National League basement boys Ebbsfleet.

Southend wasted little time as Jack Bridge set up Oli Coker for the opener in the seventh minute.

The second was the pick of the goals, coming in first-half stoppage time. Pepple had his back to goal when Coker played the ball in, but spun and fired into the bottom corner of the net.

Pepple’s second came in the 52nd minute as he turned in Charley Kendall’s cross, and four minutes later Gus Scott-Morriss headed in from a corner.

Victory leaves Southend in 14th place while Ebbsfleet, still with only nine points from 24 games, are 14 points adrift of safety.