Youths beat Barnet 1-0 at Boots & Laces - 13th Feb 2010

[Shrimperstrust]

New goalkeeper Luke Chambers kept a clean sheet on his Under-18s debut as Southend United edged out Barnet 1-0 at Boots & Laces in their latest Youth Alliance fixture.

Rob Craven's Match Report can be found here (http://www.shrimperstrust.co.uk/home.asp?page_id=138).

[Dave the Shrimper]

Rob,

Is Reynolds move to Grays a sign we want him to get more experience and then push on at the Blues or an way of getting rid of him?

[Exiled Shrimper]

Rob,

Is Reynolds move to Grays a sign we want him to get more experience and then push on at the Blues or an way of getting rid of him?

Dave,

I'd like to think it was the former - it's a great chance for him to get some experience playing against senior players, and it's something that, if the right clubs come along, I think we should be doing with our second-year scholars. Certainly other sides such as Colchester and QPR have done it to good effect in the past, so hopefully Duran will do well at Grays and come back with a greater knowledge of the game. The way that he was playing at the end of 2008/9 suggested that he has a chance longer-term here - unfortunately he picked up an injury at the start of this season else I think we may have seen him on the substitutes' bench for the first-team on a few occasions. However, having played 30+ youth team matches, it's important for him now to get experience playing up a level with Grays; unfortunately they're not doing too well in the Blue Square Premier so he is going into a struggling team, but I think that he can go there and impress.

[Dave the Shrimper]

Dave,

I'd like to think it was the former - it's a great chance for him to get some experience playing against senior players, and it's something that, if the right clubs come along, I think we should be doing with our second-year scholars. Certainly other sides such as Colchester and QPR have done it to good effect in the past, so hopefully Duran will do well at Grays and come back with a greater knowledge of the game. The way that he was playing at the end of 2008/9 suggested that he has a chance longer-term here - unfortunately he picked up an injury at the start of this season else I think we may have seen him on the substitutes' bench for the first-team on a few occasions. However, having played 30+ youth team matches, it's important for him now to get experience playing up a level with Grays; unfortunately they're not doing too well in the Blue Square Premier so he is going into a struggling team, but I think that he can go there and impress.

Thanks as always Rob - A great read.