A youthful Southend United XI lost 5-2 to Ryman League Division One North side Ware at Wodson Park on Tuesday evening, despite Marcus Milner's second half double.

Away v Ware FC - Tuesday 27th July 2010
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The teenager Marcus Milner, handed a one-year development contract for the 2010/11 season after completing two years as a scholar with the Shrimpers in the summer, found the net with a brace of sweetly-struck finishes after Ware had raced into a 4-0 lead at the interval. Dan O'Connor added a fifth for the hosts in the final minute of the match.

Head of Youth Ricky Duncan took an experimental side to Hertfordshire, with the regular Under-18s squad augmented by development duo Milner and Ade Osifuwa, plus three trialists. Peter Wedgeworth, who has featured for Bromley's non-League academy as well as training at Crystal Palace within the past year, was selected at left-back, whilst Jordan Fincher, the cousin of Hull City defender Anthony Gardner and a hopeful on SKY show Football's Next Star, played at centre-half. Ryan Antal completed the trio up front.

Blues got off to a bad start as they slipped behind within two minutes. Sam Berry was the provider as he delivered an excellent left-footed free-kick from the left touchline and beanpole central defender Matt Turpin rose to plant a header into the bottom left-hand corner.

Within minutes, Ware were rocked by a serious injury to midfielder Jamie Petts, who had to be stretchered from the field after a lengthy spell of treatment with a suspected broken leg. However, the blow did not deter them, and after a quarter-of-an-hour Piero Bagarone was adjudged to have been upended by one-time Cardiff City trialist Fincher inside the penalty area. Ryan Wade sent Daniel Bentley the wrong way to make it 2-0.

Aside from one dangerous centre from Milner, Southend had not threatened in the opening quarter of the match, but a swinging James Stevens free-kick created havoc in the Ware penalty area on 25 minutes and Kane Ferdinand was unlucky to see his shot inadvertently blocked by Antal. Stevens himself went close to narrowing the lead when he latched onto Osifuwa's reverse pass, but ex-Zimbabwe international goalkeeper Obey Murefu got the faintest of touches to push the ball around the post.

With eight minutes of the first period remaining, Ware extended their advantage, with Berry again setting up the strike. This time the winger caressed the ball into the path of Wade, who raced onto the ball unmarked before lashing his shot into the top left-hand corner.

That strike had come slightly against the run of play, and the Shrimpers responded with Julian Okai rounding Murefu, only to find the side-netting from an acute angle, but the homesters added a fourth in the 41st minute. Wade sent a free-kick fizzing towards the near post and Elliott Scott flicked the ball inches inside the right-hand post.

George Smith tried to influence the game more in the second half, and he had the first attempt on goal within sixty seconds as he looped Milner's cut-back wide. Milner also set up Antal with a perfect opportunity to open his account, but a weak finish was easily gathered by Murefu, whilst in-between Ware substitute O'Connor thundered a shot against Bentley's left-hand upright.

After 57 minutes, Southend did pull a goal back, with playmaker Smith again leading the charge on the counter-attack. At first it appeared as though he had sent Milner too far wide with his pass, but the wide man got the ball under control and dispatched it into the goal, despite some initial confusion as a hole in the net allowed it to slip through and into the advertising hoardings.

Eleven minutes later, Blues had halved their half-time deficit as Milner received the ball from skipper Stevens and, having no trouble in picking his spot, arrowed another effort into the by-now repaired bottom left-hand corner.

John Frendo and Reece Wilson both failed to test Bentley with weak attempts at goal in the closing quarter-of-an-hour but, in the last seconds, Murefu's booming goal-kick was controlled by O'Connor and sent viciously rocketing past the young custodian to make it 5-2.

Blues' Youths now travel to Norwich City on Saturday morning to complete their pre-season campaign.

Southend United XI: Daniel Bentley; Adetayo Osifuwa, Kane Ferdinand, Jordan Fincher, Peter Wedgeworth (Ryan Auger 80); James Stevens (Anthony Furlonge 75), Alex Woodyard (Michael Hyland 64); Marcus Milner, George Smith (Jack Paxman 75), Julian Okai (Fope Coker 61); Ryan Antal (Hicham Abdellah 70).

Substitute not used: Luke Chambers.

Goals: Milner (58, 69).

Ware: Obey Murefu; Rickelle Christian, Dave Hunt (Lee Samways 46), Matt Turpin, Vince Rispole; Elliott Scott (Reece Wilson 46), Luke Pope (Mark Burton 60), Jamie Petts (Tom Whitbread 8 [John Frendo 46]), Sam Berry; Piero Bagarone (Dan O'Connor 46), Ryan Wade (Ossie Ibrahim 67).

Goals: Turpin (2), Wade (15pen, 37), Scott (41), O'Connor (90).