No fewer than six of the fourteen players used in the match were making their debuts for the club and, with the exception of captain George Artemi, none of the squad were more than ten weeks past their 17th birthday.
“I made the decision to play a younger team today with the FA Youth Cup tie against Brentford in mind,” revealed the Shrimpers’ Head of Youth Ricky Duncan. “Having done so, I was pleased with their attitude and the way that they performed.”
“It was always my mind to do that this week as the Under-16s had a free weekend and, having played against Aldershot already this season, I thought that they would be a good test for them. It was a good chance to have a look at that conveyor belt we have,” he added.
Twelve months ago, Duncan had rested a number of second-year scholars for a trip to Aldershot and saw his side go down 2-1, but there was no repeat this season. Chances were few and far between in the opening quarter of the match with forward Jason Williams chipping over in the second minute and Mitchell Pinnock curling a free-kick narrowly over on 17.
James Pinnock, playing wide on the right, arrowed a deflected shot into the gloves of goalkeeper Jack Medcalfe before the shotstopper came off his line well to grab the ball off Williams’ boot-laces when Pinnock slipped him clear just after the half-hour.
At the other end, Dwayne Coultress shinned over after Matt Steer had put him one-on-one with Ted Smith, and that acted as the pre-cursor to Blues taking the lead in the 36th minute. Kamal Creary was bundled over 30 yards from goal by Coultress, and Mitchell Pinnock lined up a long-range shot from the free-kick that took a sizeable deflection off the defensive wall and wrong-footed Medcalfe.
Unfortunately, the advantage lasted less than two minutes. The equalising strike was delivered from distance by Reece Beckles-Richards, who benefited from a slip by Josh Banton to curl the ball out of the reach of Smith via the inside of both uprights.
The two Pinnocks went close soon afterwards, James thundering a shot inadvertently into the midriff of Artemi before Mitchell flashed the follow-up over, and Banton just failed to flick an Artemi header goalwards in stoppage time. In between, Smith pushed away a shot on the turn from a Shots substitute at the opposite end.
Kane Farrill almost marked his debut with a goal as the Shrimpers came out with renewed purpose in the second period. The full-back advanced from inside his own half and took advantage of the space created by Jack Bridge’s decoy run to send a skidding shot inches wide of the right-hand post from the edge of the penalty area.
Shots defender Bradley Pegg half-volleyed over from Adam Brice’s knock-down in the 54th minute, but Blues were back in front on the hour mark. The hosts had persistently sent their young opponents to ground and, significantly, skipper Shannon Jesson’s trip on Williams was punished by more than simply the referee’s yellow card as Mitchell Pinnock stepped up again from 25 yards to curl beautifully over the wall and away from the clutch of Medcalfe into the top right-hand corner.
“Mitchell has scored two good goals today. It showed that, when he puts the effort in, he can be a very good left-footed player and that he can be a real asset on the left-hand side. He upped his work ethic in the second half and showed that he had taken what we’ve said on board. The second goal was an unbelievable free-kick, right into the corner and the goalkeeper had no chance,” reported Duncan.
Bridge almost notched an immediate third as an outstanding 30-yard shot was tipped over at full extension by Medcalfe and trialist Creary’s final action of the game was to steer narrowly wide from the edge of the box after Williams had cushioned Harry Jeffrey’s pass into his path.
Farrill’s impressive morning continued in the 70th minute when his swirling cross from the left was met by Bridge arriving at the back post but Coultress managed to block with his own head on the line, and Farrill was soon making an important intervention in defence as he got across to challenge Beckles-Richards with the striker just about the pull the trigger.
An Aldershot substitute slid in to chip over at the back post ten minutes from time, but it was Blues that ended the match the stronger as first Mitchell Pinnock, who lashed across the face of goal after good work by Bridge and James Akintunaewe, and then namesake James, who chipped into Medcalfe’s gloves from Akintunaewe’s slide-rule pass, failed to add to the 2-1 lead. The result, by then, was in no doubt.
“These lads have now put the pressure on the older boys,” smiled Duncan. “It was nice for the lads that have already been offered scholarships to have the chance to impress for 90 minutes, and I also thought that our left-back, Kane Farrill, was very good today; he looks a real player.”
“Jack Bridge in midfield was quality, too, and it showed that he’s played in a few of these games now. I’m chuffed for the lads; they had belief in their ability and they grew into the game. We dominated the second half,” he concluded.
Southend United U18s: Ted Smith, Harry Jeffrey, Kane Farrill, George Artemi, Michael Hassini (Charlie Barlow 83), Josh Banton, James Pinnock, Kamal Creary (Glen Kamara 64), Jason Williams (James Akintunaewe 76), Jack Bridge, Mitchell Pinnock. Substitutes not used: Josh Odunwo, Dan King.
Goals: M Pinnock (36, 60).
Thanks to the Shrimpers Trust website for the reprinting of these reports, for the Trust's own youth section: www.shrimperstrust.co.uk