Seagulls succumb to Shrimpers youth

Brighton & Hove Albion 0 Southend United 3

In the week leading up to the match, Blues learnt that captain Merrick James-Lewis will miss four to six weeks after having his appendix removed, whilst central defender Duran Reynolds turned his ankle and will sit out at least the next two fixtures. Kane Ferdinand, who suffered a similar injury, and Teddy Nesbitt were also restricted to a watching brief, although both are expected to be available for next week's game at home to Leyton Orient.

After an evenly-contested start United, who fielded trialist defender Oli Nicholas alongside the returning Callum Whittaker at centre-half, carved out the first openings of the encounter, Brighton's keeper just beating Kyle Asante to Jamie Dennis' through-ball before Marcus Milner warmed the custodian's gloves.

The hosts went close themselves when their dangerous centre-forward was allowed to turn on the edge of the penalty area, only for his shot to flash past the right-hand post. At the other end, Jamie Stevens almost received a huge slice of fortune when his innocuous-looking free-kick was nearly split into the net by the Seagulls' 'keeper.

As both teams looked to settle into the new campaign, there was little quality inside the final third during the first half-an-hour, but as the opening period began to reach its conclusion, Asante started to look like a real threat.

In the 32nd minute he sprinted onto Stevens' chipped pass, only to lob the ball agonisingly past the post with the goalkeeper clattering into him. A minute later, the former Millwall front man was celebrating the first goal of the new season. Dennis' raking pass found the head of Harry Crawford, who flicked on to his strike partner, with Asante doing the rest by lifting the ball over the 'keeper from 20 yards.

There was a momentary danger as the half drew to a close that the Shrimpers would get sloppy at the back, and Nicholas had to execute a perfectly-timed sliding challenge to avert one such situation but, in stoppage time, Blues ended on the attack again with Stevens dragging a shot past the base of the left-hand upright.

Southend were quickly ready for the second half and, after Daniel Bentley had scurried off of his goal-line early on to block a low shot and punched clear from two resultant corners, that was exactly how it proved.

Crawford sent a scorching effort whistling past the post from Julian Okai's square pass three minutes in and quickly followed it up by driving another shot inches wide from 30 yards. An Albion midfielder then curled a snapshot narrowly over the crossbar, but it was not long before Blues were 2-0 up.

Nicholas' long pass to Okai on the right stretched the Seagulls defence, and they were forced to concede a 58th minute corner. The winger himself took the flag-kick, a precise delivery into the heart of the penalty area finding Crawford, who planted a powerful header into the bottom right-hand corner.

The added advantage allowed Southend to enjoy the final half-an-hour, and George Smith almost grabbed a spectacular goal with an audacious 35-yard chip having shown excellent awareness to spot the goalkeeper fractionally off of his goalline.

The shotstopper managed to tip that over the crossbar, and from the corner Nicholas almost stabbed home from close range after Crawford had controlled Whittaker's swinging cross. Another excellent build-up then saw Okai pick out Asante, who could only shoot straight at the goalkeeper.

An intricate free-kick routine ended with Bentley ushering a left-footed shot wide of his goal, but seven minutes from the end Blues added their third. Dennis and Milner exchanged passes on the right flank, with the defender sending a sizzling centre into the six-yard box, where Asante found himself at the end of the queue to tap home for a simple finish.

"Kyle did really well today; he kept getting in round the back of the defence, and that's exactly how this goal came about," revealed Head of Youth Ricky Duncan.

Crawford then saw a late effort well-saved at full-stretch and Bentley raced off of his line quickly to save at the feet of a substitute to protect his clean sheet as the match reached its conclusion.

"It's a really good result for us," said Duncan. "Before we scored, the first half was a little disjointed, but as the match went on, we got better. After a slow start to the second half, we dominated the last half-an-hour. It was a pleasing performance after the injuries we've had this week."

Southend United U18s: Daniel Bentley; Jamie Dennis, Oli Nicholas, Callum Whittaker, Adetayo Osifuwa; Julian Okai, James Stevens, George Smith (Alex Goodyear 87), Marcus Milner (John Owinja 89); Harry Crawford; Kyle Asante (Dominic Poleon 89).

Substitute not used: James Dunn.

Goals: Asante (33, 84), Crawford (59).

Thanks to the Shrimpers Trust website for the reprinting of these reports, to read all the latest updates of the Blues youth teams throughout the season go here:
www.shrimperstrust.co.uk/default.asp?page_id=311