Young Shrimpers suffer Cup backlash

While the young Shrimpers came into the fixture on the back of six consecutive wins - each gained with the assistance of scoring three times - Orient had not won a youth team match since October 16th, a run of eight games.

However, the O's did have the advantage of having emerged victorious at Boots & Laces earlier in the campaign in the Youth Alliance Cup competition, and Kaine Sheppard's opener, followed by a Chris Benjamin brace in the second period, ensured that they repeated the feat.

For Blues, the squad will have learnt lessons about the requirement of raising their levels for the bread-and-butter of the League after prevailing in a tough midweek FA Youth Cup encounter at Derby County, and in the end they just had Ryan Auger's injury-time consolation to show for their efforts.

Auger was one of three changes to the starting line-up for the match, slotting in at right-back with Anthony Furlonge shifting into the centre of defence after Louis Baucutt was ruled out with severely bruised ribs. With Daniel Bentley on the first-team substitutes' bench at Barnet, Luke Chambers came in between the sticks, with Lyle Della-Verde replacing Hicham Abdellah on the right flank.

On a bitterly cold morning at the club's training ground, Southend were stunned when the visitors took the lead in just the third minute. There appeared to be no danger when Sheppard picked up possession thirty yards out, but he wriggled free of the attentions of Furlonge before arrowing the ball into the bottom right-hand corner of the net with astonished 'keeper Chambers rooted to the spot.

Blues sought an immediate response as Della-Verde chipped a ball to the back post, where Julian Okai flashed his shot across the face of goal, but they were dealt a further blow when young centre-half Dominic Iorfa sustained an injury a quarter-of-an-hour in. The Shrimpers were already missing Baucutt and first-teamer Kane Ferdinand in his position, so the tall defender manfully continued for the remainder of the fixture with his movement impeded.

Iorfa had the next shot on goal charged down, and Della-Verde followed that up by curling the ball towards the bottom left-hand corner from 20 yards, only for Orient shotstopper Tom Lovelock to palm his shot around the post.

The remainder of the half saw Southend battle hard, but without the slick passing that has been a feature of recent performances. Too often Blues surrendered possession in attack, and that left them susceptible to the break.

Chambers made a smart save at his near post from Sheppard, and strike partner Benjamin was unfortunate when his long-range attempt shaved the left-hand upright in the 34th minute. In first half stoppage time, Sheppard could have added a second goal, but he misdirected a header from Billy Lobjoit's initial delivery, and he followed that by slicing over from inside the six-yard box when Lobjoit centred again.

Duane Ofori-Acheampong had scored in each of his last six outings for the Under-18s, but the closest he came to continuing that run came a couple of minutes before the hour mark as he half-volleyed over from distance after Teddy Nesbitt had laid the ball into his path.

Instead Orient extended their lead in the 63rd minute with a goal crafted by their attacking trio. Lobjoit swung the ball into the six-yard box, where Sheppard appeared certain to score, only for Chambers to make an excellent point-blank save. Unfortunately he could not hold onto the ball, and when Furlonge failed to clear his lines, Benjamin managed to squeeze home into the bottom right-hand corner.

Lobjoit nodded over unmarked from Moses Odubajo's left-wing cross shortly afterwards, whilst at the other end substitute Kyle Asante's pressure forced a defender to over-hit a pass back to Lovelock, who had to react quickly to keep the ball out.

It was the O's that scored next when Benjamin recorded his second of the morning. Again the goal came about as he reacted quickly to the opportunity to sweep a rebound into the net, Chambers having this time parried Joe O'Donoghue's curling effort out at his near post.

Southend did get onto the scoresheet themselves when Auger netted his third goal of the season a minute into injury time. The first-year full-back lined up an excellent shot from 35 yards out, firing the ball past Lovelock via the inside of the left-hand post.

Alan Mabuyaku had seconds earlier blocked an Asante effort off of the line, and the returning forward was also bearing down on goal a little later when he appeared to be upended during a strong conclusion to the game, but the penalty award was not forthcoming and Ricky Duncan's side now set their sights on a trip to Dagenham & Redbridge on February 5th.