Young Shrimpers see off Shots

The three points from the hastily-rearranged fixture - postponed at the weekend when Aldershot’s team bus broke down on the morning of the match - saw Ricky Duncan’s side return to the top of the fledgling Football League Youth Alliance South East Conference table with three wins and a draw from their four games to date.

An injury to Jack Payne and Michael Hassini’s one-match suspension saw fit-again midfielder Ryan Auger and Under-16 centre-half Josh Banton return to the starting line-up for the Shrimpers, who made a bright start as Seedy Njie’s fierce shot was parried out by the Shots goalkeeper in the third minute.

Aldershot captain Bradley Pegg directed a header wide from Shannon Jesson’s free-kick a minute later, but Blues quickly began to build up the pressure, and Paxman was unlucky to see his shot turned away after Mitchell Pinnock had teed up a close-range effort for the playmaker on the left.

Paxman then turned provider to put Njie through one-on-one with the ‘keeper but, as the forward attempted to round the custodian, he found his opponent’s left glove impeding his progress with an excellent stop. Still in just the 12th minute, Marlon Agyakwa’s right-wing centre flashed narrowly in front of both Njie and Paxman as they threw themselves at the ball.

Agyakwa himself was next to go close on the quarter-hour mark, steering Robert Hyam’s magnificent cross-field pass across the face of goal. Even when the Shrimpers endured a slightly sloppy period, they ended the spell midway through the half with a move of some quality, Furlonge bringing the ball out of defence before pinging a pass into Njie’s feet. He stopped the ball dead, allowing Paxman to sweep it out to Agyakwa, who blasted over from twelve yards out.

Southend finally took the lead in the 28th minute, making their early possession tell. Mitchell Pinnock’s right-wing corner was delivered to the back post, where Furlonge met the ball to nod it down and over the line from close range to convert his first goal of the season.

The visitors went close to levelling immediately when Matt Steer was afforded a free header besides the penalty spot, but he planted his aerial effort wide from Jack Barton’s cross. That was rare sighting of Luke Chambers’ goal, though, and play switched quickly to the other end where Njie was denied by the goalkeeper making himself big before Banton nodded wide.

Town came out with renewed purpose after the half-time interval, and Tom Allen chipped Jesson’s pass wide in the 49th minute. Blues were also attack-minded, and a Ryan Auger piledriver was deflected past the post before the ‘keeper tipped a viciously swinging Pinnock free-kick over the crossbar.

Allen twice fired over for the Shots in space of a couple of minutes as they started to press forward in greater numbers but, when Pegg made a mistake at the back, Njie attempted to capitalise, only to see the goalkeeper turn his shot around the near post.

Jesson saw a dipping shot from distance fly over before Chambers scrambled along his line to keep out the winger’s wickedly curling set-piece. Duncan introduced Shamir Mullings in the 69th minute to give Aldershot a new challenge to counter, and within seconds he had controlled a long pass before setting up Agyakwa for a curling shot wide.

The same result was evident when Michael Hyland laid the ball into first-year Agyakwa’s path with ten minutes remaining and, for all the away side’s increased possession and chances, Chambers had still barely been called upon to effect a genuine save by the time that Paxman extended the lead five minutes from the end.

Indeed, youngster Banton had done well to put off Allen as he attempted to score from Rory Murphy’s cross, whilst Steer also blasted wide in the build-up to the midfielder’s goal for the hosts. Paxman was a little fortunate in that his goalbound effort from an Agyakwa pass took a massive deflection on its way into the net from the edge of the penalty box, but he will have few complaints after scoring his fourth goal of the campaign.

The match ended with Mullings going close again, this time as he received Furlonge’s cross eight yards out and fired goalwards, only for the ‘keeper to thwart him with his left leg. Blues’ Youths now enjoy a weekend off before welcoming Brighton & Hove Albion to Boots & Laces on Saturday 10th September.