Brian Garzon bags hat-trick as Southend United's youngsters beat Stevenage in cup

Garzon struck in a devastating 10-minute spell either side of the half-time interval to turn a 2-1 deficit into a two-goal advantage after goals by Watkiss and Finley Johnson had twice given the hosts the lead. 

Youth team coach Danny Heath named an unchanged line-up following a 4-0 win away to MK Dons in their previous encounter, and Southend started with a confident swagger as the ball was moved around the pitch before Jaden Crowhurst smashed over from 25 yards out.

Despite those encouraging signs, Stevenage took the lead just six minutes into the tie with their first attack of note.

The hosts moved the ball quickly and precisely through midfield, prizing open the Blues defence in the process, and Finlay Johnson set up Watkiss to fire clinically into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

A foul by Ibrahim Kamara on the edge of the penalty gave the home side a chance to double their advantage on 10 minutes, but the defensive wall did its job and charged down the set-piece, allowing Blues to equalise 60 seconds later.

The goal came from Williams and represented his first for the youth team in a competitive fixture.

It was made by Tayo Adedoja, playing through the middle but drifting out on the left touchline to receive a pass.

Williams occupied the space left by the second-year striker and was picked out by his lay-off, sweeping the ball first-time into the bottom left-hand corner from 18 yards out.

Almost immediately the same combination linked up to try to put Blues ahead, but this time Adedoja was stopped by a superb challenge by a Stevenage defender after collecting a square pass by winger Williams.

Unfortunately Williams was to be withdrawn shortly after the half-hour mark as he succumbed to injury, with forward Joe Shenouda taking his place and Adedoja moving onto the left-hand side. 

But, despite that set-back, Blues continued to craft chances with Crowhurst winning the ball to release Garzon and the playmaker setting up Adedoja, who saw his effort deflected wide. 

Southend had been in the ascendency, but they went behind for a second time three minutes before half-time as a mistake in the Blues back-line allowed Johnson to dribble around goalkeeper Fin Purcell and tap into an unguarded net.

But it took less than 60 seconds for Southend to level this time around, thanks to the persistence of Amir, who chased a long ball over the top that had seemed destined to bounce out of play.

He hooked the ball back from the goal-line and Garzon arrived to power home a six-yard header into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

The equaliser proved to be crucial and, within three minutes of the second half kicking off, Blues were in front.

Amir had just fired over when he spread play to the right flank and Ratcliff.

He pulled the ball back to Garzon, who steered a 10-yard finish at the near post into the roof of the net.

Southend were having real joy working the ball down each wing and another cross from Ratcliff was fired over by Amir from the edge of the penalty area.

However, there was an anxious moment on 52 minutes when Hicks lifted the ball over Purcell and Luke Reeve did well to nod off the goal-line.

That came at the expense of a corner, which eventually led to Blues stretching their advantage.

The ball was quickly cleared up to the halfway line, where a defender attempted to cut it out.

That merely laid the ball into Garzon’s path, and he confidently stroked his shot beyond the advancing Stevenage goalkeeper.

From that moment there was no doubt that Southend would progress to the Second Round, although they failed to eclipse the four goals they had netted in the league at MK Dons. A

Southend United U18s: Fin Purcell, Ibrahim Kamara, Louie Arrowsmith, Jaden Crowhurst (Callum Burkey, 73), Luke Reeve, Patrick Droney, Sam Ratcliff, Mo Amir (Jacob Bland, 77), Tayo Adedoja, Brian Garzon (Henry Sandat, 89), Omari Williams (Joe Shenouda, 32). Unused substitute: Habib Bolarinwa.