FA Youth Cup First Round: Southend United Under-18's 3 Luton Town Under-18's 1 (after extra-time)

Last updated : 04 November 2010 By shrimperstrust
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The FA Youth Cup First Round sponsored by E.ON:

Southend United 3 Luton Town 1 (after extra-time; 1-1 after 90 minutes)

The teams could not be separated after 90 minutes, Ofori-Acheampong having cancelled out Jordan Patrick's opener for the visitors within six first-half minutes, but the tall centre-forward put his team in front 13 minutes into additional time before Smith made sure of the success shortly afterwards.

Midfielder Alex Woodyard, who has recently been involved with the first-team squad, was brought into the side in place of Michael Hyland, but otherwise Blues' Youths were unchanged from the weekend eleven that had made progress to the last sixteen of the Football League Youth Alliance Cup.


A cagey affair saw both teams fail to make an impression in the penalty area during the opening 20 minutes, the only opportunity of note falling to centre-half Kane Ferdinand as his far post header from a Julian Okai corner was blocked besides the left-hand upright.


Southend were marginally the better side at this stage, and Luton goalkeeper Lewis Kidd did well to bravely stop Ofori-Acheampong from connecting with another Okai cross at the near post. Opposite number Daniel Bentley was rarely threatened, and Alex Lacey's header represented a comfortable claim for the custodian midway through the first half.


The Hatters took the lead in the 33rd minute somewhat against the run of play. Indeed, a fine Southend move had just culminated in Newman Carney stealing the ball off of the toes of Okai as he was about to shoot when Ryan Dasilva stole possession in midfield and freed Jordan Patrick, who angled a low shot across Bentley into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.


Further good defending, this time from Mason Blake, prevented Hicham Abdellah from shooting after a wonderful sweeping pass by James Stevens, but Blues were shortly to draw level. Alex Woodyard's pass from the right-hand side was flicked into the path of Ofori-Acheampong by Abdellah, and the Under-18s' leading goalscorer made no mistake as he powered his shot past Kidd from 15 yards out.


In injury time Alasan Ann squeezed a shot under Ferdinand but Bentley was able to stoop down to collect and, with the scores remaining level, the hosts began the second period hunting a goal. Within seconds of the restart, Abdellah had beaten Blake for pace, only to see a fierce shot blocked, and on 52 minutes Anthony Furlonge's downward header was ushered away from goal by Dasilva.


At the mid-point of the second period, Town's first meaningful attempt of the half flew over the crossbar courtesy of Patrick's speculative 25-yarder, but there was to be greater concern for Blues when substitute Lyle Della-Verde sold Bentley short with a simple pass and the 'keeper had to react quickly to beat Ann to the loose ball. In the process of doing so, he jarred his right leg and received considerable treatment before, with understudy Luke Chambers already sidelined through injury, he decided to continue.


He managed to save from Christian Tavernier's long-range effort, with Kidd also staying alert in the Hatters goal to push Teddy Nesbitt's cross-shot over, before a frantic end to the regulation 90 minutes saw Louis Baucutt recover his composure after slipping to hustle Ann off of the ball and allow Bentley to gather. Play quickly switched to the other end and Abdellah rifled a shot into the gloves of Kidd.


With just two minutes remaining, Furlonge spotted the 'keeper off of his goalline and attempted an audacious 35-yard lob, but Kidd back-peddled to claim above his head. There was an anxious moment at the back for Southend when Lacey nodded Matt James' deep free-kick across goal, but Ann could not stretch far enough to convert, and Patrick's endeavours to turn the ball home were thwarted by Bentley's outstretched leg.


Even then, in the third minute of stoppage time, the action did not let up, and Ofori-Acheampong could have settled the tie without recourse to a further thirty minutes had he not miskicked in front of goal following Della-Verde's fleet-footed work.


Extra time was required, though, and 15-year-old Della-Verde saw an effort slide across the face of goal from the left-hand side of the penalty area after good link-up play from Ofori-Acheampong and Smith. The winger then turned provider, crossing dangerously before the ball was pushed out to Stevens on the edge of the penalty area. The cultured midfielder was unable to find the target as he flashed over in the 102nd minute of play.


Sixty seconds later, Southend edged in front for the first time. Both Stevens and Woodyard scrapped for the ball in midfield before Ofori-Acheampong used his considerable strength to bounce off of a challenge and blast towards goal, his shot taking a wicked deflection to spiral over Kidd and into the net for his eighth goal of the season.


In first-half injury time Smith put further ground between the two Football League Youth Alliance sides as Della-Verde found Ofori-Acheampong on the left-hand side. Instead of trying his luck himself and potentially notching a hat-trick, he played a simple pass to the Republic of Ireland Under-18 international who slotted past Kidd.


The imperious Ferdinand blocked Cauley Woodrow's 30-yard piledriver before Kidd made a smart save from Ofori-Acheampong. The towering striker then almost provided an assist for Woodyard, but the second-year scholar's slammed finish was ruled out by the raising of the assistant referee's flag.


Disappointingly the match ended on a sour note as Della-Verde, who had tormented his opponents with a combination of silky skills and dextrous turns since being introduced in the 68th minute, was unceremoniously scythed down from behind by Ann, who was immediately dismissed.


Nonetheless, Southend enjoyed a safe passage into the Second Round for the first time since 2007/8, where they will face Brentford at Roots Hall, the Bees having defeated Concord Rangers 5-0 at Thames Road. The match is due to be played by Saturday 20th November.


Southend United U18s:
Daniel Bentley, Anthony Furlonge, Teddy Nesbitt, James Stevens, Louis Baucutt, Kane Ferdinand, Hicham Abdellah (Ryan Auger 106), Alex Woodyard, Duane Ofori-Acheampong, George Smith (Michael Hyland 108), Julian Okai (Lyle Della-Verde 68).

Substitutes not used:
Rhys Mackay, Jack Paxman.


Goals:
Ofori-Acheampong (39, 103), Smith (105+1).


Cautioned:
Della-Verde (90+4 - foul tackle), Smith (105+1 - goal celebration), Ofori-Acheampong (120+3 - adopting an aggressive attitude).


Luton Town U18s:
Lewis Kidd, Matt James, Mason Blake, Christian Tavernier (Fabio Bufano 97), Alex Lacey, Newman Carney, Jordan Patrick, Michael Cain (Liam Toomey 68), Alasan Ann, Cauley Woodrow, Ryan Dasilva (Colby McAdams 106).

Substitutes not used: Mustafa Mirzai, Moses Nakabaale.


Goal:
Patrick (33).


Dismissed:
Ann (120+2 - serious foul play).

Cautioned:
Patrick (87 - foul tackle), Bufano (120+3 - adopting an aggressive attitude).

Thanks to the Shrimpers Trust website for the reprinting of these reports, for the Trust's own youth section, go here:
www.shrimperstrust.co.uk/home.asp?page_id=10

For more details of the competition, go here:
www.thefa.com/TheFACup/FACompetitions/TheFAYouthCup.aspx