Travel to Liverpool with the Trust as young Shrimpers face triple assault: The Cup Report

Last updated : 28 January 2011 By shrimperstrust
FA Youth Cup - 4th Round

Head of Youth Ricky Duncan had urged his team to forget about the prospect of facing Liverpool in a club-record equalling last sixteen encounter, but the squad can now prepare for exactly that after overcoming the Rams at Pride Park.


Blues' Youths had never before beaten an Academy side away in a competitive fixture, and until the 62nd minute, it seemed as though they would be unsuccessful once again as they trailed to Callum Ball's first-half opener for the hosts.


However, the Shrimpers didn't look back after James Stevens' thumping shot connected with the back of the net shortly after the hour mark, and further efforts from Duane Ofori-Acheampong and George Smith, the latter in stoppage time, sealed a momentous victory.

There was just one change to the starting line-up from Southend's identical 3-1 win against Coventry City at Roots Hall in the previous round as Kane Ferdinand - who had played 90 minutes for the first-team against Macclesfield Town the night before - was replaced by Under-16 centre-half Dominic Iorfa, making his debut for the Under-18s.


There were few chances in the opening ten minutes as both clubs attempted to size each other up, Stevens sending a curling effort over the crossbar early on for the visitors whilst Derby responded when Aaron Cole cut inside from his position on the right flank and skewed wide of the left-hand upright.


The Rams, who had disposed of Blues' fellow Football League Youth Alliance South East Conference outfit Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 in the Third Round, saw more of the ball as the first half progressed, although Duncan's charges were able to largely stifle them whenever they approached the penalty area.


Sam McElroy let fly in the 13th minute, sending his shot from 25 yards careering over Daniel Bentley's bar, and it was not until the mid-point of the opening period that the second-year shotstopper had to make a save, comfortably gathering Chris Jones' well-struck effort from a similar distance.

Ball was centimetres away from connecting with a dangerous Cole centre three minutes later, and as the half-hour mark arrived, County captain Mark O'Brien almost nodded his team in front with a bullet header from Alex Witham's floated free-kick, the defender directing the ball narrowly over the crossbar.


Derby did nudge ahead in the 34th minute. Cole delivered a corner to the back post, where O'Brien met the ball again with his head. This time his downward header caused problems in the Southend defence, and Ball was on hand to scramble the ball over the line.


It was important that Blues kept the deficit down to just a single goal at half-time, but they still had some defending to do as Ball almost added a second, smashing Cormac Hegarty's cross wide of the left-hand post. Bentley was in position with two minutes remaining before the interval to collect a further strike from the tall centre-forward.


There was a hint of what may follow in the second half during injury-time when midfielder Stevens drew a fine low save out of Rams goalkeeper Ross Etheridge, and the same player was at the fore minutes after the break as a 30-yard free-kick was curled around the wall and into the side-netting.

Before the fightback could truly take root, Bentley had to make two tremendous saves to keep his side in touch. The first came direct from Etheridge's goal-kick, McElroy galloping through, only to be thwarted by the custodian's feet on the edge of the box.


The next stop was even more impressive. This time Ball sprung the offside trap to advance one-on-one with Bentley - who had warmed the first-team bench 24 hours previously - but his attempted lob was met with a superb one-handed save a few feet inside the area.


Duncan's half-time team-talk had stirred his troops, and they equalised in the 62nd minute. The move was started and finished by Stevens, who brought the ball down before offloading to George Smith. He quickly threaded it through to Hicham Abdellah, and the winger's final contribution of the game was to pick out his team-mate 12 yards out, Stevens rifling his shot into the net via the underside of the crossbar.

Lyle Della-Verde was introduced in place of Abdellah, and he made an immediate impact, tracking across the midfield before Smith snatched the ball off of his toecaps and brought a smart save out of Etheridge.


Duane Ofori-Acheampong had been in impressive form for the Under-18s of late, but he had endured a quiet evening having been largely marked out of the game by Derby's centre-halves. That was to change a little over a quarter-of-an-hour from the end. Stevens chipped the ball delightfully out to the left-hand side and the tireless Teddy Nesbitt. The full-back centred to the near post for Ofori-Acheampong, who flicked home his fifth goal in the competition this season.


Stevens had an opportunity to add a third ten minutes from time as he headed Julian Okai's corner over from eight yards, but Blues would have to defend resolutely to maintain their advantage late on.


First Bentley gathered Witham's swinging free-kick well as Ball ran across his line of sight and then, when Cole's high cross eluded the 'keeper, Anthony Furlonge made a crucial interception to send the ball over the crossbar with men waiting expectantly behind him.


Ofori-Acheampong failed to make the slight connection to Okai's cross that would have sealed the success and, when the fourth official's board signalled an additional four minutes of injury time, it seemed that Derby may summon one last effort.


That was not to be, however, and it was the Shrimpers who made absolutely sure of their progress with another goal of real quality. Della-Verde's vision picked out Nesbitt on the overlap, and he sent the left-back clear with a sublime pass. Nesbitt cut inside and squared for Smith, who was on hand to tuck the ball home.

The celebrations were lengthy, and it was merely a couple of minutes before they were reignited, this time with the encouragement of the substitutes, coaches and support staff. Plans will now be fixed for Liverpool, but with the Under-18s still going well in the League, and with an Area Semi-Final at home to Stevenage to come in the Youth Alliance Cup, Duncan's team are fighting hard on three fronts.

Southend United U18s: Daniel Bentley, Anthony Furlonge, Teddy Nesbitt, James Stevens, Louis Baucutt, Dominic Iorfa, Hicham Abdellah (Lyle Della-Verde 64), Alex Woodyard, Duane Ofori-Acheampong, George Smith, Julian Okai.

Substitutes not used: Luke Chambers, Ryan Auger, Michael Hyland, Rhys Mackay.


Goals:
Stevens (62), Ofori-Acheampong (74), Smith (90+2).


Derby County U18s:
Ross Etheridge, Ryan Betts, Cormac Hegarty, Alex Witham, Mark O'Brien, Stefan Galinski, Aaron Cole, Chris Jones (Niall Dorkins 81), Callum Ball, Kane Richards, Sam McElroy (Kealan Dillon 71).

Substitutes not used:
Josh Lelan, Rhys Sharpe, Andy Dales.

Goal:
Bell (34).

FA Youth Cup 5th Round v Liverpool

The Shrimpers Trust will be providing transport to Anfield for the FA Youth Cup 5th Round Game on Monday February 14th; kick-off 19.00. (Go on, treat the wife!)

Liverpool - FA Youth Cup - Monday 14th February 2011

Adult Members £30.00 - Non Members £30.00
Junior Shrimpers, Concession & Student Members £30.00 - Non Members £30.00

To book go here:
www.shrimperstrust.co.uk/home.asp?page_id=269

Thanks to the Shrimpers Trust website for the reprinting of these reports, for the Trust's own youth section, go here:

www.shrimperstrust.co.uk/home.asp?page_id=10