Under-18 trailists let no one down in defeat at the Hatters

League

With Alex Woodyard and Teddy Nesbitt involved with the first team squad, and goalkeeping duo Daniel Bentley and Luke Chambers still unavailable through injury, Duncan named 17-year-old custodian Dean Driscoll in goal, with George Artemi - who had played for the reserve team at Colchester United in midweek - and Immanuel Parry paired at centre-half.

Driscoll, who has made five first team appearances for Ryman League Division One North club Tilbury, particularly impressed, with the 'keeper, as well as former Millwall scholar Parry, also 17, and Artemi drawing praise from Duncan.

"I don't think any of the trialists let us down today," he said. "They've all come in after just one training session on Friday, and that's a big ask. It was a tough game on a very poor pitch, so it was always going to be one mistake that decided the result."

"Unfortunately that was what happened with Mitch [Michael Hyland], but he has put his hands up and we'll bounce back. It was good to get minutes into Mitch, there was another start for Oggy [Ryan Auger] and Lyle [Della-Verde] as well, and Louis Baucutt showed that he can play at left-back as well as in the middle. We couldn't really get going today, but we'll keep on giving it a go."

The match, played in blustery conditions at Luton's training ground in Leagrave on a hard pitch, was devoid of chances, particularly in the first period as neither team was able to get any real passing momentum together.

An early Christian Tavernier header was directed inches over the crossbar for the Hatters before Luton's goalkeeper was drawn into a fine fingertip save by Hyland's skidding 20-yard drive.

A Town midfielder then smashed over from Newman Casey's centre at the midpoint of the half, whilst Southend were almost gifted a goal when a Luton defender side-footed a James Stevens corner just wide. From Stevens' next delivery, Parry looped a header over before the half ended with Driscoll effecting an excellent save to turn a powerful aerial effort over the crossbar.

Immediately after the break, Tavernier instigated a Luton attack as he robbed Stevens of possession in midfield, freeing a forward who could only slice wide of the right-hand upright. Skipper Stevens remained in the thick of the action as play switched to the other end, swinging in a free-kick that was only cleared as far as Rhys Mackay, but his gentle shot was pushed out by the 'keeper.

Driscoll did well to put off a forward after the front man had seized upon a short Stevens back-pass, with the ball running out of play as the Luton attacker attempted to bundle his way through. The Hatters' full-back then steamed past Baucutt on the right flank, only to drive across the face of goal, before Driscoll made an incredible save, pushing Jean-Phillipe Yamfam's snap-volley onto the crossbar.

It was a stop that was worthy of earning his team a share of the points but, with a quarter-of-an-hour left, substitute Yamfam put his team in front, picking the pockets of Hyland before advancing on Driscoll's goal and sliding his shot underneath the custodian and into the bottom right-hand corner.

Forward-minded Fope Coker was sent on in place of an injured Anthony Furlonge with five minutes remaining as Blues went in search of an equaliser, but it was not to be as Casey bravely charged down Coker's fierce shot on the edge of the box, leaving Southend to regroup ahead of Thursday evening's Football League Youth Alliance Cup Southern Area Final against Wycombe Wanderers at Adams Park.