Away v Leyton Orient - Monday 6th April 2009 | |
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Blues' Youths are now three points clear of Queens Park Rangers, who have a game in hand but a vastly inferior goal difference, and four in front of Brighton & Hove Albion having played an identical 18 fixtures after this latest success.
Ricky Duncan named exactly the same starting eleven that had earned an excellent 2-1 win at home to QPR just 48 hours previously, and again the team delivered an exemplary performance underpinned by central defensive rocks Callum Whittaker and Duran Reynolds.
The match was played at a frenetic pace, but it was a mark of the backline's standard of play that Orient were restricted to a handful of half-chances throughout the match, with full-backs Adetayo Osifuwa and Jamie Dennis, plus goalkeeper Nathan McDonald, also in fine form.
Southend came straight out of the blocks and twice threatened inside the opening six minutes with incisive through-balls. First Justin Hazell slipped in Craig Calver, who was thwarted by the O's goalkeeper coming quickly off of his line, and then the winger himself was put through by Medi Abalimba, with a heavy first touch taking the ball not only past the 'keeper but out of play.
Whittaker was called into action on ten minutes when a cross from the right found a home forward faced with just McDonald to beat. From nowhere the ex-Orient trainee sprinted back to block a goalbound shot in front of his custodian.
The East London club were effective in flooding the midfield with bodies until the midway point in the first half when Calver slipped Hazell in on the left-hand side. The winger attempted to deliver a cross to an unmarked Abalimba, but a defender got across just in time to avert the danger. Seconds later Calver found Harry Crawford, who blasted into the side-netting from an acute angle.
Merrick James-Lewis found himself in unfamiliar territory when Calver touched Crawford's headed flick into his path on 27 minutes. The rangy midfielder had only the goalkeeper to beat, but a weak finish straight at his opponent ensured that the match remained goalless.
Blues continued to force the pace, but Abalimba screwed Dennis' centre wildly wide and Calver's neat flick from an intricate Reynolds free-kick found only the Orient shotstopper's gloves. The half ended with McDonald holding a fierce drive from distance.
The young Shrimpers remained positive at the interval and, with Duncan's words still ringing in their ears, took the lead less than two minutes after the restart. Abalimba tricked his way past the left-back and delivered a beautiful cross into the heart of the penalty area, where Crawford supplied a volleyed finish on the turn that soared into the roof of the net.
McDonald clutched another long-distance shot to his chest before Crawford almost bagged his second of the game, receiving the ball after fine build-up work from substitute James Stevens, Abalimba and Hazell and curling it against the outside of the left-hand post.
Whereas prior to the QPR match, Blues had been inhibited by a 1-0 lead with results so important at the top of the table, this time they continued to go in search of a second, with Hazell firing at the keeper from a Dennis cross and a defender blocking Crawford's half-volley after Calver had set him up.
With the encounter inside the final quarter-of-an-hour, a couple of wayward efforts failed to trouble McDonald, whilst the custodian's opposite number had to be alert when Stevens set himself 25 yards out and rocketed a shot towards the bottom right-hand corner, the 'keeper beating out to safety.
In addition to new 2009/10 scholar Stevens, fellow Under-16s Michael Ngoo and Freddy Lapado were also introduced to the action and, with Whittaker and Osifuwa having ensured that McDonald had a comfortable save to make at one end with some tigerish defending, Lapado signalled his intent with an effort that fizzed narrowly over in the 89th minute.
After negotiating two minutes of stoppage time, Southend were able to celebrate another victory, their 12th of a remarkable season. They will enjoy a match-free Easter weekend before returning to action on Saturday 18th April at Rushden & Diamonds.
Southend United U18s: Nathan McDonald; Jamie Dennis, Callum Whittaker, Duran Reynolds, Adetayo Osifuwa; Medi Abalimba, Davis Abbey, Merrick James-Lewis (James Stevens 57), Justin Hazell; Craig Calver (Freddy Lapado 86), Harry Crawford (Michael Ngoo 77).
Subs not used: John Owinja, Julian Okai.
Goal: Crawford (47).