Home v South Essex Sixth Form College - Saturday 8th August 2009 | |
Ricky Duncan gave all the fit members of his squad an extended run-out whilst running the rule over a series of trialists underneath a baking summer sun, and afterwards declared himself pleased with proceedings: "We've got exactly what we wanted from today," he said. "It was a good run-out for the squad, and we saw plenty of the ball."
The Blues dominated the first half against a SEEVIC squad containing four players who had previously been with Southend's Centre of Excellence. Within ten seconds, captain Kyle Asante had signalled his intent by shooting wide of the left-hand post from twenty yards, and six minutes later he was denied by the visitors' recovering goalkeeper after the custodian had pushed Marcus Milner's strong shot straight into his path.
Diminutive midfielder George Smith chipped just over the crossbar after a neat interchange with Teddy Nesbitt on the left-hand side, whilst Anton Wilson nodded Milner's teasing cross in a similar direction with the match still within the first quarter-of-an-hour.
Although the back-line, which included Kane Ferdinand and Oli Nicholas in the initial stages of the fixture, was untroubled, the pairing saw plenty of possession and played their part in a patient build-up to moves, with SEEVIC sitting back and inviting pressure.
Smith stabbed wide after Asante had touched Jamie Dennis' outswinging cross from the right flank on 16 minutes, and first-year scholar Julian Okai saw a well-struck effort from Asante's square pass charged down at close-range.
United's pressure finally told in the 23rd minute, with the goal coming at the end of a typically elaborate and well-planned move. First Milner flicked the ball into Wilson's path on the left-flank, with the tall striker then passing inside to the speedy wide man. Milner's cross was set-up for Okai by Asante, and when the winger's effort was brilliantly saved by the 'keeper, his skipper bravely prodded home the rebound.
Daniel Bentley clutched one half-hearted shot to his chest and watched another long-range effort sail over, but the most worrying moment for the Shrimpers came when a defender flicked a corner goalwards just after the half-hour mark. Fortunately Teddy Nesbitt was positioned on the post to slice away from goal.
Asante was denied a second when the goalkeeper pawed away his shot from the edge of the penalty area a couple of minutes before that incident, and the half closed with Jamie Stevens, instrumental in the centre of the pitch, setting Blues on their way again, Okai eventually flashing wide after Nesbitt's cross had been punched into his path.
Duncan made plenty of substitutions at half-time and during the second period to give his squad a full work-out in a number of positions, but this did not affect the Blues' efficiency. Asante outpaced the defence to race onto a long ball, only for his poke goalwards to be blocked by the advancing 'keeper, and Milner mis-hit wide after cutting in from the right flank.
A swirling Duran Reynolds pass was chased down by the industrious Asante, but the forward was hounded away from goal by the defence midway through the half before Wilson and Nesbitt attempted to convert Merrick James-Lewis' cross, the left-back eventually chipping over from six yards.
SEEVIC's goalkeeper was in action again when he clawed Nesbitt's free-kick around the right-hand upright, but he was finally beaten a little over six minutes from the end. Okai dug out a cross from the right and trialist Alex Goodyear showed excellent composure to control the ball before dispatching a low effort inside the left-hand post.
Okai twice failed to add a third himself towards the end, first shooting wide from Ade Osifuwa's centre and then scuffing straight into the 'keeper's gloves, but overall this was another good display from the young Shrimpers ahead of their season-opener at Brighton & Hove Albion next Saturday.
Southend United U18s: Daniel Bentley (Kane Pierce 64); Jamie Dennis (Duran Reynolds 24), Kane Ferdinand (Dennis 46), Oli Nicholas (Ferdinand 62), Teddy Nesbitt (Adetayo Osifuwa 46); Julian Okai (Craig 46 (Nesbitt 60 (Craig 71))), James Stevens (Alex Goodyear 46), George Smith (Stevens 68), Marcus Milner (Anton Wilson 68); Kyle Asante (Okai 83), Wilson (Merrick James-Lewis 27).
Goals: Asante (23), Goodyear (84).
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: