Touchline Duncan dismissal as super Shrimpers kids hit seven

An astonishing display from Southend United’s Under-18 team saw them fight back from an early two-goal deficit to record a 7-3 victory over Leyton Orient at the Whitbread’s Sports Ground in Woodford Green.

Despite Blues having been rocked by those initial strikes, the result of the fixture ultimately hinged on a quarter-of-an-hour period leading up to half-time when Ricky Duncan’s team scored four times and had a further strike ruled out for offside.

“We showed a lot of character to come back from 2-0 down. Our heads did not go down and I believed, at that point, that if we scored next we’d probably go on to win,” said Shrimpers Head of Youth Ricky Duncan, who was sent away from his technical area for contesting the disallowed goal.

After an even start, it was Southend that fashioned the first opportunity after seven minutes as Seedy Njie planted his header from a Mitchell Pinnock header just past the post. The forward was left ruing that miss two minutes later when the O’s took the lead themselves, Afie Obafemi seizing the ball from Aaron Tatham as the central defender faced his own goal before rounding Luke Chambers and rolling into an empty net.

Sean Grace blocked a fierce Njie shot as the visitors sought a quick response, but Chambers was forced to make an impressive stop at the other end as George Wickings looked to fire home Obafemi’s lay-off. That proved to be a portent of what was to come in the 18th minute as Billy Lobjoit brought down Sam Konway’s pass before guiding it underneath Chambers with the goalkeeper getting the merest touch to the ball.

The young Shrimpers were struggling to find any rhythm to their passing at this time and, in sweltering conditions, at times they appeared fractious, but slowly and surely they edged back into the game. Jack Payne flashed an Anthony Furlonge pass inches wide before a good interchange on the edge of the penalty area saw Pinnock’s reverse pass find the diminutive playmaker again, this time Jack Dekanski making ground to cover.

Captain Michael Hyland could have elected to find Pinnock on the left when he received Payne’s square pass on the edge of the area in the 27th minute, but instead he arrowed a shot into Yilmaz Aksoy’s gloves. However, the pressure was mounting on the Orient back-line and, just after the half-hour mark, Blues had narrowed the gap to a single goal. Paxman was the provider, finding Njie 15 yards from goal, and he coolly slotted past Aksoy.

Four minutes later, the Seasiders were level. Marlon Agyakwa’s trickery on the right flank saw him cross for Paxman and, when his header drifted out to the left, Pinnock collected and centred the ball into the six-yard box, where Njie slid in to beat Dekanski and turn home.

Agyakwa was inches away from getting his head to a Pinnock cross shortly afterwards, but Southend did not have to wait long to grab the lead as their third goal arrived six minutes before the break. This time Hyland threaded the ball into the path of Paxman, and he dragged it inside to cut onto his left foot and stroke into the bottom right-hand corner.

Within sixty seconds, Blues believed they had contributed a fourth, a rampaging Pinnock run culminating in Njie controlling the cross before thrashing the ball into the net via the underside of the crossbar. The referee consulted his assistant and, after a protracted discussion, deemed the forward’s knee to have been in an offside position. Words were exchanged between the official and Duncan, who was then dismissed having contested the decision.

That did not deter the relentless Shrimpers, though, and they were soon celebrating a 4-2 half-time lead as Paxman scored his second of the morning. The midfielder had already found Njie, whose slightly heavy touch allowed Sean Grace to steal in, but Paxman was alert to nab the ball off of Harry Lee’s toes and fire into the bottom left--hand corner.

By contrast, the second period started slowly, Payne heading a Pinnock cross narrowly wide and Chambers grabbing a speculative Nash effort above his head. The gloveman made a more impressive save after Lee’s 30-yard free-kick was deflected away from him before Pinnock latched onto an Agyakwa cross on the break and beat Aksoy, only for Dekanski to get back and clear off of the line.

On 70 minutes, Blues got their fifth. Jack Payne controlled a long ball on the edge of the penalty box, proceeding to leave the Orient defence dumbfounded by twisting one way and then another, holding off a defender and then converting to continue his record of having scored in every game this season.

Agyakwa was unfortunate to see Aksoy’s right leg deflect a strong drive wide and the O’s custodian also pawed away a Furlonge effort before the hosts scored their third in the 83rd minute, Konway heading home a pinpoint Nash corner.

Four minutes later, trialist Shamir Mullings netted his second goal of the campaign after being introduced as a substitute. This time Furlonge set it up, his free-kick from deep being lofted to the back post, where Mullings rose to an improbable height before nodding imperiously into the net.

Incredibly, there was still time for Dekanski to clear a Payne effort off of the goal-line during the regulation 90 minutes before Blues delivered a seventh in stoppage time. Payne and Mullings were involved in a sublime build-up, the latter cushioning the ball into the path of Paxman, who fittingly rounded out the scoring by completing his hat-trick with an angled shot past Aksoy.

Lobjoit went on to strike the post for the O’s, but Duncan was delighted with his team: “When we go forward like that, we can beat anyone. If we can just tighten up our defence, then I think this side could be very special. Seedy is scoring goals now, Jack Paxman has got a hat-trick and Shamir’s goal was outstanding,” said the boss.

Southend United: Luke Chambers, Anthony Furlonge, Robert Hyams, Michael Hyland, Aaron Tatham, Michael Hassini (Josh Banton 46), Marlon Agyakwa, Jack Paxman, Seedy Njie (Shamir Mullings 79), Jack Payne, Mitchell Pinnock (James Pinnock 71).

Substitute not used: Jack Edwards.

Goals: Njie (31, 35), Paxman (39, 44, 90+1), Payne (70), Mullings (87).

Cautioned: Furlonge (48 - dissent).