Southend United's Under-18s suffered a first round exit in the FA Youth Cup, after drawing 3-3 with Brentford and eventually losing a tense penalty shoot-out 9-8.

The Blues battled from two goals down to take the lead in extra time, but despite facing opponents with 10 men, they were unable to hold out and eventually lost when it came to the shoot-out.

In spite of the match being played on Bonfire night, the only fireworks were taking play outside the ground at the start, with neither side able to settle into their stride during the opening quarter of an hour.

It took 25 minutes for the first shot on target with Brentford's Ryan Blake rifling a long range strike which looked to deceive Nathan McDonald, as the goalkeeper smothered the ball at the far post.

Southend duly responded though with Justin Hazell hitting the crossbar, as he cut inside from the left flank and found space to line up a shot, which took a deflection as it cannoned off the top of the crossbar.

An impressive passing move that started with Stuart O'Keefe delivering the ball out to the right wing, ended with Craig Calver sending a cross to the far post where Harry Crawford missed connecting with the ball from just six yards out.

An opening goal came in the 39^th minute when Tom Davis was allowed to ghost past his marker from a free kick and headed the ball just inside the right-hand post.

Crawford had a great chance to equalise on the stroke of half time when Ronnie Jones hooked the ball goalwards from a corner, but positioned just in front of goal, he headed the chance straight at goalkeeper Lloyd Anderson.

Southend switched from their diamond formation to 4-4-2 for the second half, but it was Brentford who continued to stay in control and they soon doubled their lead in the 58^th minute.

Geoff Banks-Smith picked the ball up inside the box and weaved his way through to direct a fierce strike into the far corner of the net.

It was now up to Southend to up the ante and O'Keefe missed a good chance when he headed over Calver's cross from close range, after winning the ball in front of two defenders.

He wasn't to be outdone though and helped the Blues pull a goal back in the 65^th minute when a marauding run through midfield by Jamie Dennis set up O'Keefe for a strike that took a heavy deflection, as it lobbed over Anderson and into the net.

Kyle Asante missed connecting with the ball at the far post on the end of a free kick, but Southend had better luck from their next set piece in the 76^th minute.

O'Keefe lined the ball up from 25 yards out and rifled a superb shot into the top corner of the net to bring the Blues back level.

With eight minutes to go, Southend then found themselves with the perfect chance to complete the comeback when Hazell was fouled in the box, resulting in a penalty and a second yellow card and subsequent dismissal for Thomas Duffy for the challenge.

Unfortunately, Calver's spot kick was saved to the goalkeeper's left and even though O'Keefe had a shot skim off the roof of the net, the match proceeded into extra time.

Brentford had an early goal disallowed when a long range strike took a deflection on its way through before O'Keefe came as close as you like to handing Southend the lead when his half volley was superbly saved by Anderson and crashed off the post.

But Southend did grab the lead in the 108^th minute when Hazell burst through on the end of Asante's pass and showed the composure needed to slot the ball beyond Anderson.

Yet the lead lasted little more than two minutes, as the Blues failed to clear their lines from a corner and Jack Ward was able to tap the ball in at the far post.

With the game heading for penalties, Asante missed the best chance to seal the match, after Calver and O'Keefe combined to play him through, but he shot wide with just Anderson to beat.

With the game needing to be settled on penalties, it continued to go the distance before Marcus Milner's spot kick was finally saved to see Southend knocked out in the first round 9-8.

Southend: McDonald, Owinja, Morris (Dennis 63), Abbey, Jones, Osifuwa, James-Lewis (Milner 46), O'Keefe, Calver, Crawford (Asante 63), Hazell.