Southend United Under-19s 0-0 West Ham United Under-19s (West Ham United won 4-3 on penalties); SUFC Youth Cup; Roots Hall, Saturday 24th July 2010; Kick-Off: 3:00pm
By Robert Craven
Southend United suffered penalty heartbreak for the second successive season in the SUFC Youth Cup as they lost out 4-3 on spot-kicks to West Ham United following a goalless draw.
Julian Okai and James Stevens both smacked shots against the crossbar during the regulation hour of play, but the Hammers were also denied by the woodwork when Blair Turgott fired a spot-kick against a post during the regulation hour of play.
As a result, the game went straight to penalties with Blues being handed the advantage after James Stevens, Ryan Auger and Dubi Ogbonna had all converted from twelve yards.
With the shoot-out level at 3-3, Luke Chambers leapt to push out Paco Craig's effort, but George Smith's stuttering run-up culminated in Dave Wootton making a save and, following Domonic Vose's clinical finish, the Hammers shotstopper denied Okai to give the East Londoners a spot in tomorrow's final against Arsenal.
Earlier in the afternoon, Okai had almost given the Shrimpers the perfect start when he latched onto the ball down the inside-left channel and crashed a wicked 20-yard shot against the top of the crossbar within the opening sixty seconds.
At the other end, Turgott responded with a fierce attempt from a similar distance, the winger drawing a comfortable save from Daniel Bentley.
Meanwhile, the diminutive Okai was posing a real threat, with his trickery helping him past Jake Young in the 13th minute. A square pass picked out Duane Ofon-Acheampong, but the forward's shot lacked purchase and was easily gathered by Wootton. The custodian was equally secure when Okai curled a free-kick into his gloves three minutes later.
Blues were left to rue the woodwork again after 26 minutes when Stevens thundered Okai's short free-kick against the underside of the bar, the ball bouncing down and hitting 'keeper Wootton's head before dribbling wide.
Okai's resultant corner was headed goalwards by Ofon-Acheampong, only for Wootton to claw the ball out for another flag-kick, and the half closed with the shotstopper acrobatically turning Stevens' long-range half-volley away from goal after the towering Ofon-Acheampong had won a flick-on in midfield.
After Okai had brought another save from Wootton seven minutes into the second period, the visitors were given an excellent opportunity to move in front.
England Under-17 international Robert Hall found Matthias Fanimo, who just beat Chambers to the ball and fell to ground under the 'keeper's challenge. Turgott stepped up to take the penalty, but he could only direct his spot-kick against the base of the left-hand upright.
West Ham began to move into the ascendancy midway through the half as Hall hit a dipping shot wide of the left-hand post before Chambers produced an excellent fingertip save to deny the attacker at close range.
With four minutes remaining, Hicham Abdellah's incisive pass found Smith but the Republic of Ireland Under-17 international could only find the side-netting with his effort from acute angle having rounded Wootton.
Still later, the Hammers could have snatched the win without recourse to spot-kicks as Vose led a speedy counter-attack and searched out Fanimo on the right, but the front man curled his 15 yard shot around the post.
That was the final action of a gripping match, leaving the contest to be decided from twelve yards. With Blues missing out on a spot in the final, they will now tackle FC Twente in the third-fourth place play-off at 11:30am on Sunday.
Southend United: Daniel Bentley (Luke Chambers 31), Anthony Furlonge (Ryan Auger 58), Teddy Nesbitt, Alex Woodyard (Michael Hyland 45), Kane Ferdinand, Louis Baucutt, Fope Coker (Hicham Abdellah 45), James Stevens, Duane Ofon-Acheampong (Dubi Ogbonna 45), George Smith, Julian Okai. Substitutes not used: Jack Paxman, Rhys Mackay, Michael Hassini, Seedy Njie.
West Ham United: Dave Wootton, Jake Young, Callum Driver, Jack Powell (Lamar Hurley 31), Paco Craig, Kenzer Lee, Blair Turgott (Powell 60), Domonic Vose (Declan Hunt 31), Dylan Tombides (Vose 45), Matthias Fanimo, Robert Hall. Substitutes: Jake Larkins.
