Luton Town Reserves 3 Southend United Reserves 1
Report by Robert Craven

Duane Ofon-Acheampong's second reserve team strike in a week was not enough to prevent Southend United losing 3-1 to their Luton Town counterparts at Sharpenhoe Road.

Barton Rovers FC's picturesque ground was the setting for Blues' penultimate second-string outing of the season, with both teams naming young line-ups. The only first-team experience on show for the Blues came in the form of Julian Okai, who made a fleeting FA Cup appearance as a substitute at Gillingham, and goalkeeper Daniel Bentley, who acted as understudy to Steve Mildenhall during Kelvin Jack's injury travails.

The two evenly-matched outfits largely cancelled each other out during the opening 45 minutes, with central defensive pairing Duran Reynolds and Callum Whittaker only employed intermittently to head a couple of innocuous crosses clear during the first quarter-of-an-hour.

Southend's first attack of note came in the 18th minute when Okai's corner was met by Reynolds. The ball slid off of the former Histon youngster's head but fell to Whittaker, whose fierce shot at the back post was blocked at close quarters.

Bentley was rarely called into action, although he did make an excellent stop when JJ O'Donnell smashed Tyree Clarke's centre goalwards. The custodian was in similarly fine form shortly after the half-hour mark when Martel Powell's cheeky back-heel from a Taiwo Atieno knockdown was comfortably dealt with.

The final action of the first half saw Reynolds slowly encourage Clarke away from goal after the winger and team-mate Powell had threatened to run through seven minutes before the break.

Blues signalled their intent early in the second period and took the lead within five minutes of the restart. The Hatters may have believed the danger to be over when ex-Barnet gloveman Gore diverted Ofon-Acheampong's strong shot wide for a corner but, after Okai's initial flag-kick had been cleared, the second delivery was cushioned by Reynolds into the path of the tall first-year scholar, who stabbed home from close range.

At that stage, with Ofon-Acheampong centimetres away from connecting with a Kane Ferdinand cross, Blues were in control but the hosts hit back in the 71st minute with an equaliser. Clarke's right-wing centre was not cut out and O'Donnell had the simplest of tasks to tap the ball into the net from three yards out.

A triple substitution five minutes later further galvanised Luton, and they moved in front with twelve minutes remaining. Godfrey Poku was the provider as his set-piece cross was chested down by Powell and Alex Lacey managed to force the ball over the line despite the best efforts of Teddy Nesbitt to thwart him.

Ricky Duncan made changes of his own, introducing Anthony Furlonge, George Smith and Hicham Abdellah - a semi-finalist on recent SKY show 'Football's Next Star' - although it remained Town who looked more likely to score.

Craig Nelthorpe, on loan from the Hatters' forthcoming Blue Square Premier play-off opponents York City, crashed a free-kick inches wide of the right-hand upright before crossing for Gavin Caines, who was denied by a smart save from Bentley. However, the former Arsenal 'keeper could do nothing when, with a little over four minutes left, Atieno arrowed the ball across him into the bottom left-hand corner from a Powell pass.

Duncan's charges now prepare to face Stevenage Borough on Tuesday evening in a match brought forward 24 hours as they look to round off their campaign on a positive note.

Southend United: Daniel Bentley; Kane Ferdinand (Anthony Furlonge 70), Callum Whittaker, Duran Reynolds, Teddy Nesbitt; Marcus Milner (George Smith 77), Alex Woodyard (Hicham Abdellah 70), Julian Okai; Coskun Ekim, Duane Ofon-Acheampong.

Substitutes not used: Luke Chambers, Louis Baucutt.