SOUTHEND United’s academy manager Ricky Duncan is happy to be heading into tonight’s FA Youth Cup tie at MK Dons on the back of another victory.

Sewa Marah bagged the only goal of the game as the Shrimpers moved up to second in the league table with a 1-0 win at Cambridge United on Saturday.

And Duncan was full of praise for how Blues were able to grind out a narrow victory away from home.

“I watched the 16s and the 18s and both teams showed a desire not to get beaten, which was very encouraging,” said Duncan.

“The 16s ended 0-0, which was a terrific result considering the week before they had been beaten 7-3 at Luton.

“It was a good week’s work with them to get their mentality right and it was the same with the youth team.

“With the FA Youth Cup tie just round the corner we made a plan to rest a few and we put some younger ones in.

“To go 1-0 up was good and so was the way we defended in the second half.

“Cambridge are up there with us in the league so it was an important game.

“Both teams were a little bit cautious ahead of FA Youth Cup ties but afterwards everyone was saying how good the game was.”

Cambridge came close to taking a sixth minute lead when an effort bounced back off the crossbar.

But Blues hit back to bag the only goal of the game in the 17th minute when first-year scholar Jon Benton delivered a delicious free-kick over the top of the defensive wall and into the path of Marah.

The powerful centre-forward, who had also notched in his previous two appearances, found himself in behind the backline and he stooped to nod the ball beyond the goalkeeper and into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

Cambridge pushed hard for an equaliser in the second half but were unable to find a way past Shrimpers shot-stopper Harry Seaden, who made two fantastic saves before the hosts also hit the crossbar and had a late effort cleared off the goal-line.

Southend: Seaden, Humphreys, Osimeh, Cuthbert (Stewart 52), Hutchings, Joseph, Kinali, Benton (Brogan 83), Acquah (Kelman 57), Rush (Knock, 70), Marah (Egbri 46)