All change for Ricky Duncan as young Seagulls sink Shrimpers

League

The Rochford-based wide man Julian Okai scored the tenth goal of his youth team career in his 49th appearance for the club at that level before Head of Youth Ricky Duncan revealed that the three second-year scholars who had not been offered deals would be allowed to seek alternative employment before the end of the campaign.

"Julian has been here for a long time, so it is especially sad for him, but it is only right that we now let him, Duane [Ofori-Acheampong] and Hicham [Abdellah] look for new clubs," said the Head of Youth.
In addition to nearly a half-century of games for the Under-18s dating back as far as April 2007, Okai made 16 reserve team appearances, scoring twice, and played as a substitute in the FA Cup for the first team at Gillingham in October 2009.

The highlight of Ofori-Acheampong's career was netting in each of the first four rounds of the FA Youth Cup as Southend earned a spot in the last sixteen of the competition and a dream tie at Anfield against Liverpool this term. He leaves having scored 20 times in 31 starts for the Under-18s and three times in seven matches for the second-string.

Abdellah was the most recent capture of the three, signing the second-year of a scholarship after trialling with the club in April 2010. He featured 22 times in all for the youth team, bagging three goals, as well as featuring five times for Graham Coughlan's reserve side.

Whilst those players will be looking for pastures new, ten new scholars have agreed two-year scholarships at Boots & Laces, amongst them Michael Hassini, who started at Brighton and Lyle Della-Verde, who was introduced in place of the centre-half during the second period. "I'll be looking to bring those Under-16s in between now and the end of the season, as we have in previous years, and give them a taste of what to expect," Duncan confirmed.

With Daniel Bentley and Luke Chambers both sidelined through injury, Duncan brought West Ham United goalkeeper David Wootton into the side between the sticks, and he was soon in action, punching out Leon Redwood's corner before clutching a strong shot from Jordan Woodley in the third minute.

Shortly afterwards Redwood curled millimetres wide of the left-hand upright as the Seagulls continued on the offensive, meaning that Okai's eleventh-minute strike was somewhat against the run of play. George Smith spread the play with a pass along the edge of the penalty area and, after Jake MacFarlane had slipped, Okai was afforded the opportunity to arrow his shot into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

The goal gave the visitors confidence, and strong hold-up play from Ofori-Acheampong freed Okai on the left again. This time the flanker centred for Ofori-Acheampong to shoot, but his close-range effort was blocked by defender Callum Sherriff. Okai's corner then picked out Louis Baucutt at the back post but, despite his header beating 'keeper Josh James, MacFarlane was well-positioned besides the post to head clear.

That goal-line intervention increased in significance less than sixty seconds later as Brighton equalised after Alex Woodyard failed to clear the ball in the Shrimpers penalty area. Redwood picked out Conor Hider, who slammed his shot into the bottom right-hand corner of the net from an unmarked position eight yards out.

Worse followed just before the half-hour mark as Teddy Nesbitt conceded a corner and Albion took the lead courtesy of a fine training ground routine. MacFarlane feigned to come short, but instead Redwood found Jack Strong on the edge of the penalty area and he floated the ball to the back post, where Tom Vickers rose unchallenged to head past Wootton.

Ofori-Acheampong curled narrowly over after good pressure from Abdellah led to James miscuing his goal-kick and the striker almost deflected an Okai effort into the top left-hand corner with the back of his heel as the Shrimpers sought a response, although Shamir Goodwin also fired over for the hosts.

Wootton made a sprawling save from left-back Dan Bolwell's skimming shot early in the second half, whilst Brighton custodian James made an excellent stop at his near post to deny Smith a goal in a fifth straight game.

Wootton was forced into a fingertip save from Redwood's 25-yard drive before Woodley flashed another mid-range shot over midway through the second half, although by now Southend were starting to look more threatening themselves.

Attack-minded triumvirate Fope Coker, Jack Paxman and Della-Verde were all brought on as Blues looked for an equaliser, and Paxman was unfortunate when his drilled goalbound attempt appeared to be blocked by the hand of a defender.

Having had their claims for a penalty turned down, the closest Southend came to levelling matters was Della-Verde's rising effort from a James Stevens short corner nine minutes from the end, and instead they had to accept defeat for the first time in over a month.

"The lads are disappointed, but I had to tell them that no side wins every single game," reported Duncan. "We conceded two sloppy goals in the first half - the first one should have been cleared earlier and the second should not have been put out for a corner - but I'm pleased with how we played after the break and on another day we would've scored. We went into a really attacking formation and that meant that we held a high line up the field, but it just wasn't to be today."

Southend United: David Wootton, Anthony Furlonge, Teddy Nesbitt, James Stevens, Michael Hassini (Lyle Della-Verde 77), Louis Baucutt, Hicham Abdellah (Fope Coker 58), Alex Woodyard (Jack Paxman 69), Duane Ofori-Acheampong, George Smith, Julian Okai. Substitutes not used: Ryan Auger, Rhys Mackay.