Southend United's youngsters heavily beaten at AFC Wimbledon

Blues had won their final five games of the 2021/22 Merit League One campaign and the opening two encounters in this season’s South East Conference, but they were blitzed by three goals in 12 minutes either side of the half-time interval before the young Dons eventually eased further clear to claim a 5-0 triumph.

Youth team coach Heath made two changes to the starting line-up as third-year scholars Luke Reeve and Louie Arrowsmith dropped out of the squad and Romeo Ebondo made his first competitive appearance of the season. 

But there was no sign of what was to follow in the initial stages of the game at the Kings College Sports Ground in New Malden as the visitors made the better start.

Ebondo stabbed goalwards from Mo Amir’s free-kick in the opening 60 seconds, and Fiddes was denied by a superb point-blank stop from Luka Ziger in the Wimbledon goal when he met a Jacob Bland cross with a stooping header.

Although there was little cohesion to Southend’s play, they continued to carve out chances and Ziger was forced to confidently claim Ibrahim Kamara’s right-wing centre in the 13th minute following an intelligent short free-kick by Amir.

Wimbledon created their first opportunity after a quarter-of-an-hour when an attacker glanced a header wide of the left-hand post from a right-wing corner, and that was quickly followed by another opening after Blues skipper Patrick Droney missed a challenge, but Kamara read the situation well to clear for a corner.

The momentum had switched towards the Dons, and Fin Purcell was called upon to make a good block with his legs when a forward was picked out by a fine through-ball in the 24th minute, but Blues battled hard to wrest back the initiative.

Again it was midfielder Amir that proved to be the creative spark, hanging a 27th-minute cross up to the back post where Henry Sandat drew another save from Ziger with an acrobatic scissor kick over his left shoulder.

Four minutes later Amir was brought down as he dribbled towards the penalty area and Omari Williams curled a free-kick underneath the defensive wall but into the gloves of Ziger as Blues sought to break the deadlock.

Instead, it was the hosts that edged ahead in the 34th minute, with Southend – as they had with both goals against Cambridge United seven days earlier - again contributing to their own downfall.

Ebondo got a shout to direct play back to Purcell, but his pass was intercepted by an attacker, who rounded the custodian to roll the ball into an empty net.

Sandat almost responded immediately with a thunderous far post strike, but again Ziger was on hand to make a point-blank stop, and Amir’s centre in the 39th minute was just out of the reach of both Sandat and Fiddes with the net looking enticing.

Purcell did make a good save at his near post to prevent the hosts doubling their advantage but five minutes before half-time the first-year shotstopper conceded a penalty after being adjudged to have brought down a forward in attempting to scoop up the ball.

The taker sent Purcell the wrong way from twelve yards to make it 2-0.

On the stroke of the interval, Blues saw loud appeals for a spot-kick of their own waved away by the referee after a Fallows cross appeared to strike an arm, and a sense of injustice intensified immediately after the restart when Ebondo was adjudged to have handled a delivery from the same angle and Purcell was sent in the opposite direction for a second time.

Kamara nodded a Fallows cross wide in the 55th minute, but Wimbledon looked comfortable with their three-goal cushion, despite Bland diverting a Williams centre over from close-range at the mid-point of the second half.

Seconds later Purcell made a superb near-post save to palm a half-volleyed attempt around the post, only for the resultant right-wing flag-kick to be diverted into the bottom right-hand corner of the net at the near-post to extend the advantage for the home side.

Substitute Terry was cautioned for a foul with 10 minutes remaining, and a frustrating morning for the teenage Shrimpers concluded with Wimbledon adding a fifth goal with the final kick of the match when an attacker turned home the rebound after a thumping effort had cannoned back off the left-hand upright.

Blues will be seeking to get back to winning ways this weekend when Luton Town are the visitors for an 11am kick-off in the EFL Youth Alliance Cup second round at Boots & Laces.

Southend United U18s: Purcell, Ebondo, Bolarinwa, Bland (Bangs77),  Droney, Amir, Kamara, Williams, Fiddes, Sandat, Fallows (Terry 63).

Sub not used: Cerullo.