Southend United U18's 3 Gillingham U18's 2
Report by Robert Craven
Southend United's Under-18 side deservedly overcame a spirited Gillingham comeback to record a 3-2 victory at Boots & Laces, trialist Harry Crawford scoring a late winner.
This was only Southend's second victory in the Youth Alliance League this season, the first having come at Leyton Orient two months ago. Finally in this fixture, Ricky Duncan's young protégés replicated, for periods at least, their success in the F.A. Youth Cup this season, albeit with only five regulars from that run involved in the starting eleven.
One of those, Rhys Henry, returned from a work experience spell at BGB Southern League Premier Division strugglers Cheshunt to start up front alongside Tashan Adeyinka, with central defender Tom Hopkins returning to the Hertfordshire club. Luke Thurlbourne (St Albans City), James Lindie and David Obaze (Harlow Town) all remain out gaining vital experience of senior football.
Henry's presence certainly aided Blues from the very start, his pace and goal threat leading Gillingham to concede a corner in the sixth minute from a long Dan Harvey pass. Jack Morris' corner found Stuart O'Keefe on the edge of the penalty area, and when the midfielder was brought down 20 yards from goal, former Arsenal youngster Morris stepped up to delightfully curl the ball into the bottom left-hand corner.
The left-sided midfielder was heavily involved in the early stages, and he linked up with Adeyinka, who appeared buoyed by his partnership with the more experienced Henry, constantly troubling the Kent side's defence. The ball found its way inside to Medi Abalimba, whose searing shot cleared the crossbar by a matter of inches.
A brief worry midway through the first half saw the Gills' forwards combine just inside the Blues area, though a low shot dribbled past the left-hand post. It was a rare anxious moment for the hosts inside the opening 35 minutes, a surprise given that Gillingham had recently offered professional contracts to six of their second-year scholars.
An intricate passing move between Henry, O'Keefe and Abalimba ended with the schoolboy talent, later presented to the Roots Hall crowd as a new scholar for 2008/9, having a low shot blocked, but it was to prove only a matter of time before Southend stretched their lead.
Adeyinka forced a pass through to Henry, who spread the ball to the right despite the close attentions of a defender. O'Keefe collected the ball before striking confidently into the top right-hand corner from 15 yards to open his account for the season.
However, the visitors did manage to get on the scoresheet themselves eight minutes before the break when Blues struggled to clear a right-wing cross. The ball was flicked on by one centre-forward at the near post, and his strike partner took advantage of hesitancy between Nathan McDonald and his defence to nod into the net from five yards.
The goal, like Brighton's opener the previous week, set United back, and they lost the confidence that they had shown previously. Playing against the wind in the second half, they were fortunate when McDonald made a comfortable save after Harvey had surrendered possession inside his own half four minutes after half-time.
On 52 minutes, Gillingham were level. A well-crafted ball around Johnny Herd on the Southend left allowed a Gills winger to break, and he cut the ball back to the substitute striker, who had the simply job of tapping in from close range.
Southend had a lucky escape when a Gillingham midfielder rifled a semi-cleared ball against the underside of the crossbar and it bounced away to safety, and later when Herd was uncharacteristically beaten by the tricky winger and Davis Abbey managed to get back to force the substitute to prod wide at the near post.
However, the teenage Blues delved into their reserves of determination, and with twenty minutes left, following another well-worked move, they were in front again. Morris' corner was cut-out at the near post, but he recovered possession to swing another cross into the box, which was nodded down by Ricky Byrne. O'Keefe collected the ball, turned his defender and sub Crawford pounced to drill the ball underneath the goalkeeper to net on his debut.
The 15-year-old trialist, who has previously appeared at Tottenham Hotspur's Academy, had no further opportunities to add to his tally, though the hard-working Morris curled a late free-kick just over the bar. His personal improvement, alongside that of his team-mates, was as good an indication of their spirit as the result, which was sealed despite five minutes of injury time when Gillingham were reduced to ten men with a forward dismissed for dangerous play.
Southend United U18s: Nathan McDonald; Dan Harvey (Adetayo Osifuwa 72), Ronnie Jones, Ricky Byrne, Johnny Herd; Stuart O'Keefe, Medi Abalimba, Davis Abbey, Jack Morris; Tashan Adeyinka (Fredrik Ljungström 76), Rhys Henry (Harry Crawford 66).
Subs not used: Gordon Rieck and Richard Priest.
Goals: Morris (8), O'Keefe (30), Crawford (70)
Photo: Graham Bridgeman-Clarke
