Forward Richie Foran marked his return from injury with a third-minute goal as a Southend United XI lost 3-1 at Blue Square Conference South club Bishop's Stortford.
Foran capitalised on the persistence of Matt Harrold as he benefited from a clearance fired at the former Yeovil Town man to round ex-Blues youth team goalkeeper Joe Welch and loft the ball into an unguarded net from an acute angle in the first attack of the night.
Foran and Harrold were joined in the starting line-up by fellow professionals Clark Masters, Johnny Herd and Charles Ademeno, and the Irishman will be most pleased after completing his first hour of football since suffering a knee injury in late March. A hard-working display, capped by that early goal, was the high-point of the evening for Duncan's team.
The hosts, who have contested the Conference South play-offs in each of the last two seasons, were quick to respond, and Masters made a fine save with his fingertips to divert Danny Green's curling free-kick over the crossbar. Piers Wixen and Kyri Kaprianou followed that by fizzing efforts just off-target.
On 10 minutes, Stortford were level, with Kaprianou the scorer. The forward cut inside from the right flank and managed to force the ball through a crowded six-yard box between Masters and the inside of the far post.
Foran warmed the gloves of Welch after trapping Paul Goodacre's header and volleying goalwards on the edge of the penalty area, although Southend came even closer to scoring on 20 minutes. Charles Ademeno won a corner on the Blues' right, and Herd's inswinging flag-kick was chested down by Harrold at the back post, only for his shot to rattle the crossbar from three yards out.
That miss proved costly as 15-year-old centre-half Ade Osifuwa was adjudged to have handled Danny Green's cross in attempting to stop Kaprianou from converting at the near post, with Green stepping up to confidently send Masters the wrong way from the penalty spot.
Still inside the 26th minute, another product of United's youth-team, Craig Edwards, added a third for Stortford. He collected the ball after a smart move from Precious Koko's throw-in, the midfielder being released one-on-one with Masters to smash low to the former Brentford custodian's right.
Southend stuck to their task, and first-year scholar Jamie Dennis hit a low shot just wide before Herd crashed a left-footed half-volley over from an ill-judged Welch punch.
The Blues continued to fight in the second period, and substitute James Lindie glanced a header inches wide in the opening stages. Harrold slipped the young striker in behind the Stortford defence minutes later, but this time Steve King covered quickly to effect a fine challenge.
As a series of substitutions took place, Stortford's Danny Harris blazed over and Wixen forced Masters into a juggling save with a strong shot at the goalkeeper. Tom Champion also sent a wayward effort over for the hosts, whilst Merrick James-Lewis, who made a fine impression with a solid midfield display during the last half-an-hour, curled just past the post after exchanging passes with Lindie on the edge of the penalty area to cap the evening's entertainment.
Southend United XI: Clark Masters; Ricky Byrne (Gordon Rieck 77), Ade Osifuwa, Callum Stewart (Callum Whittaker 46), Johnny Herd; Jamie Dennis (Foran 77), Davis Abbey (Rhys Henry 46), Medi Abalimba (Merrick James-Lewis 60), Richie Foran (James Lindie 46), Matt Harrold, Charles Ademeno (Jamie Dennis 83).
