Dagenham & Redbridge U18's 0 Southend United U18's 0
Report by Robert Craven

Southend United were unable to break down a resolute Dagenham & Redbridge side as they continued their unbeaten start to the 2008/9 Puma Youth Alliance League season.

Blues Youths picked up their seventh point from three matches before the autumn break and four fixtures in the Youth Alliance Cup group stages after a 0-0 draw at the Daggers' London Borough of Barking & Dagenham Stadium.

Ricky Byrne returned from a hamstring injury to make his first competitive start of the campaign at right-back, whilst Justin Hazell and Jamie Dennis came into midfield at the expense of Merrick James-Lewis and Stuart O'Keefe, the latter having travelled to Carlisle United with the club's first-team. Tashan Adeyinka was restored to the starting line-up in place of Marcus Milner, who dropped out of the squad.

The hosts had made a bright start, but it was Southend who carved out the first clear-cut chance on five minutes, Byrne's header finding Dennis, who sent a high ball into the path of Harry Crawford, although the young forward could only direct his effort over the crossbar whilst slightly off-balance.

A squally shower made playing conditions difficult for a short period, though that did not stop Craig Calver and Dennis combining for the first-year scholar to zip a low cross into the six-yard box. Crawford failed to make contact with his shot and Adeyinka was unable to make a telling connection with the follow-up.

Chances continued to rain in on the Dagenham goal, Adeyinka stretching onto Crawford's header before touching the ball past the right-hand upright with only the goalkeeper to beat and then Davis Abbey smashing a 30-yard piledriver just past the same post. In between, Crawford slashed over after the 'keeper had initially parried Ronnie Jones' deflected effort, the result of a magnificent marauding run.

There was a minor scare for Nathan McDonald when he saw a header crash against the crossbar from close range as Steve Demetria was allowed to cross from the right-hand side, but normal service was resumed seconds later with Calver's excellent chipped through-ball finding Adeyinka, the front man powering through a defender's challenge before being denied by the goalkeeper diving at his feet.

Just after the half-hour mark, Dennis picked out Byrne with an impressive flick down the right flank, but the eventual centre was fired over the bar by Crawford. The striker closed the first half with a well-directed shot at the Daggers' custodian before sending the rebound skywards.

Dagenham came out of their defensive shell at the outset of the second period, McDonald being called upon to make a routine low save from Alfie Wren and Ade Osifuwa recovering quickly to stop Jermaine Cherubin from bursting through when the gangly target man had stolen a couple of yards on the centre-half.

Adeyinka came close to breaking the deadlock as he rolled his defender from Ricky Byrne's long right-wing throw-in, seeing the goalkeeper turn his low effort around the post. It was to prove the second-year scholar's final action as Fredrik Ljungström replaced him midway through the half.

The introduction of the Swedish striker and fit-again Jack Morris as substitutes sparked new life into the Shrimpers, and Dennis soon picked out Calver, who volleyed off-target. Shotstopper McDonald then began a sharp move with a quick throw to Calver. The former Ipswich Town youngster picked out Hazell on the right touchline and his cross zipped inches in front of a desperate Ljungström.

McDonald made another decent stop to save his defence's blushes when a Dagenham substitute was allowed to shoot goalwards before making another smart save from Wren's goalbound attempt through a crowded penalty area. Blues failed to fashion a late opportunity to grab a winner, but will travel to Rushden & Diamonds next Saturday for their first Cup fixture with their unbeaten record intact.

Southend United U18s: Nathan McDonald; Ricky Byrne, Ronnie Jones, Ade Osifuwa, Durran Reynolds (Jack Morris 70); Davis Abbey; Jamie Dennis, Justin Hazell; Craig Calver (Kyle Asante 83); Tashan Adeyinka (Fredrik Ljungström 70), Harry Crawford.

Subs not used: Callum Whittaker.

Photo: Graham Bridgeman-Clarke