Duncan: 'We have to learn to score when we have the opportunities'

Southend United’s Under-18 side had to settle for a 2-2 draw with Gillingham at Boots & Laces as the Kent side stormed back from a 2-0 deficit during the final half-an-hour.

Goals from Seedy Njie and Jack Payne either side of the half-time interval had seemingly put Blues on course for a second successive victory at the start of the season, but the Gills pulled a goal back on the hour mark before equalising ten minutes from time.

By that stage, central defender Michael Hassini had been dismissed after receiving a second caution, but Head of Youth Ricky Duncan refused to be downcast: “I’m not disappointed with the result, despite having led 2-0. I thought, on the balance of play, that a draw was a fair result; Gillingham played very well during the second half.”

"We dominated during the first half-an-hour, but we have to learn to score when we have the opportunities. I thought that our wingers were excellent during that period,” he added.

Jack Paxman came in for Lyle Della-Verde on the left-hand side in the only change to the side that defeated AFC Wimbledon 5-1 on the opening day of the campaign, and Blues began the game in a similar vein to how they had performed a week earlier.

In the fourth minute, Ryan Auger sought out Marlon Agyakwa on the right with a sprayed pass, and the winger’s centre was directed just inches in front of the onrushing Njie. A few moments later, left-back Robert Hyams struck goalwards with a 25-yard free-kick, but he curled his dead ball delivery inches over.

The Shrimpers’ use of the right-hand side appeared to be giving them the most joy, and Auger helped the ball on to Njie in this position in the 17th minute. Another dangerous ball across goal almost caught out the visitors’ defence, but Paxman was unable to turn home at the back post.

A rare moment of anxiety occurred after 25 minutes when a Gillingham forward flashed an effort wide from 15 yards but, shortly after the half-hour, Southend were ahead. Aaron Tatham’s long ball down the left flank found Njie, who held off the attentions of a defender before somehow squeezing his shot past the goalkeeper and inside the right-hand post from the most acute of angles.

Hyams redeemed himself after he had slipped on the ball at the near post in trying to clear a Gillingham corner as he recovered to deflect a close-range shot wide of the left-hand upright before Chambers made an excellent stop to palm a fierce effort around the right-hand post. The ex-Derby County ‘keeper then clutched a powerful header from the resultant flag-kick just three minutes before the break.

Six minutes after the interval, Blues had extended their lead. The move began at the other end as an over-hit Gills free-kick was collected at the back post by Anthony Furlonge. He rampaged away down the right, riding a challenge and maintaining his balance to keep going. The referee played an excellent advantage, allowing Furlonge to pick out Payne with his cross, and the first-year midfielder controlled before stroking in his second goal of the season.

Chambers did well to claim a shot above his head in the 57th minute, but he was unable to keep out Gillingham’s next effort just four minutes later. A substitute broke down the right wing, cutting back inside Hyams before sending a skidding shot underneath the outstretched right hand of the second-year custodian.

Two minutes later, a 20-yard drive was smashed against the top of the crossbar before, midway through the half, Chambers did well to block in a one-on-one situation with the rebound being slashed over from besides the penalty spot.

Blues’ task against an increasingly relentless visiting onslaught was made more difficult after 73 minutes when Hassini committed his second foul on the edge of the box, and the referee showed him a second yellow card.

Despite this, Southend replacement Shamir Mullings almost converted after good work from Njie and James Pinnock, only for the Gills ‘keeper to grab the ball off of his left boot.

That allowed Gillingham to equalise, a forward creating some space away from Agyakwa at the back post before firing his centre against a team-mate, only for a midfielder to race onto the ball and blast it into the net.

Further opportunities saw a striker side-foot wide from close range and a defender head into Chambers’ gloves from a corner, but both teams ultimately had to be content with a share of the spoils.

“Gillingham played well and, from the moment that they got it back to 2-1, we knew that they would come back at us strongly. I was disappointed with Marlon’s positioning at the back post so from that point of view it was a poor goal to concede but, at the same time, Luke Chambers has made a couple of outstanding saves, so we can’t complain,” explained Duncan.

“It’s four points from our first two games, we haven’t lost, and we’ve learnt a lot about what we need to do when we have ten players on the pitch after Michael’s sending off,” he concluded ahead of next week’s trip to Leyton Orient.

Southend United U18s: Luke Chambers, Anthony Furlonge, Robert Hyams, Michael Hyland, Aaron Tatham, Michael Hassini, Marlon Agyakwa (Mitchell Pinnock 87), Ryan Auger, Seedy Njie, Jack Payne (Shamir Mullings 72), Jack Paxman (James Pinnock 72).

Substitutes not used: Andres Pascoe, Jack Edwards.

Goals: Njie (34), Payne (51).

Cautions: Hassini (36 - foul tackle, 74 - foul tackle), Njie (90+3 - foul tackle).