Shamir Mullings grabbed the only goal of the game eight minutes after half-time to return Duncan’s team to winning ways after three straight defeats and bring about an upturn in form ahead of the five-game Youth Alliance Cup group stages which start next weekend.
“Neither side came into the match with a great deal of confidence but I thought it was an excellent spectacle,” claimed Duncan. “Millwall are a good side, regardless of form, so it was nice to get a positive result against them after such a long run.”
Goalkeeper Luke Chambers was fit again after missing out on the previous two matches with an ankle injury, and he appeared to aggravate the injury in making his first save after 20 minutes. Jack Sammoutis’ through-ball released forward Charlie Penney and he drew an excellent block from the Welshman, who subsequently required treatment on the left ankle that had effected the block.
Blues’ defence continued to hold firm throughout the opening period, restricting the Lions to long-distance efforts with Chambers brilliantly tipping over Danny Newman’s 30-yard piledriver in the 33rd minute before Connor Wilkinson’s shot from marginally closer range whizzed over in the stoppage time.
“We’d had three successive defeats, so it was good to get a clean sheet, and I thought Luke Chambers made some outstanding saves. Millwall had four or five corners in the first half and thought we defended them very well,” said Duncan.
Having made the decision to give his lone forward greater support in the second half, Duncan almost saw his team reap the rewards immediately as Robert Hyams’ marauding run culminated with the full-back finding Mullings, who lofted the ball over the goalkeeper and against the outside of the right-hand post.
Millwall substitute Tobi Alabi proved a handful in the early exchanges of the second half, and Chambers made a smart stop when the powerful front-runner nodded Liam Kingsmill’s cross goalwards, but it was Southend that scored the match’s solitary goal shortly afterwards.
The strike owed a little to some good fortune, although it was no more than the team deserved for the application they showed for 90 minutes. Ryan Auger’s right-wing cross found Mullings at the near post, and he scuffed his shot on target before seeing it slip through the goalkeeper’s grasp and into the net.
Chambers turned a low shot around the post before Kingsmill drove narrowly wide just before the hour, but generally Southend were relatively comfortable and even managed to carve out a couple more chances of their own during the last ten minutes.
Marlon Agyakwa, only introduced as a substitute in the 63rd minute, got around a defender before smashing his shot from an acute angle into the side-netting following good build-up play from Mullings and Jack Paxman whilst skipper Michael Hyland nodded into the ‘keeper’s gloves from Auger’s cross, but by then Blues had done enough.
“Ryan Auger put in a magnificent performance at right-back, and Anthony Furlonge was excellent at centre-half; he can play anyway really but he was dominant today. Shamir put in another good shift up front and probably could have had another, but I’m really pleased with all the lads today,” Duncan beamed.
“Now we have our first Youth Alliance Cup game at Queens Park Rangers next weekend and the tough games are coming thick-and-fast, but that is just how we like it here; we’re looking forward to it,” he added.
Southend United U18s: Luke Chambers, Ryan Auger, Robert Hyams, Michael Hyland, Anthony Furlonge, Aaron Tatham, Seedy Njie (Marlon Agyakwa 63), Jack Edwards, Shamir Mullings, Jack Paxman, Jack Payne (Mitchell Pinnock 79).
Substitutes not used: Michael Hassini, Harry Jeffrey, James Pinnock.
Goal: Mullings (53).
Cautioned: Mullings (68 - adopting an aggressive attitude).
Goals: Hyland (32), Mullings (46).
Thanks to the Shrimpers Trust website for the reprinting of these reports, for the Trust's own youth section: www.shrimperstrust.co.uk