Southend United 3-1 Luton Town
Stanislas 34, 84, Spillane 80
Walker 90
The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON
Second Round Proper
3.00pm, Saturday 29 November 2008
Roots Hall, Southend United FC
Winning clubs will receive £30,000 from The FA
A brace from on-loan debutant Junior Stanislas and a 90th minute goal from James Walker has booked Southend United a place in The FA Cup Third Round Proper.
19-year-old midfielder Stanislas, on loan from West Ham, made his first appearance for the Shrimpers and his two-goal contribution - and all-round performance - against Luton Town would have impressed new boss Steve Tilson.
He gave Southend the lead on 34 minutes, with a 25-yard free-kick which bent beyond the helpless Conrad Logan in the Luton goal.
He then nodded home a Kevin Betsy cross just four minutes after Luton looked to have earned themselves a replay.
Centre-back Michael Spillane converted a Paul McVeigh corner on 80 minutes, but Stanislas’ second goal of the game and Walker’s effort in the final minute put the result beyond doubt.
This was a match that maintained a ferocious intensity throughout and Southend had a number of players who impressed.
Pacy forward Francis Laurent proved a handful all game and as well as his goal, Stanislas looked a constant threat with the ball at his feet. Alan McCormack was a calming influence at the heart of the hosts midfield; tidy in possession and constantly offering his back four protection when required.
The Essex side started brightly, Alex Revell flashing a shot across Logan’s goal in the opening minute, signalling the Shrimpers intent.
They were awarded a free-kick in the eleventh minute after Hatters' skipper, Ian Roper, felled Laurent just outside the box. Stanislas attempted to take advantage of the space afforded to him at Logan’s near post, but his teasing free-kick curled narrowly wide. He would make no mistake with his next effort.
Luton’s first strike on goal came from lone forward, Chris Martin, who cut in from the left hand touchline, but his effort failed to trouble Steve Mildenhall and Paul McVeigh then attempted a long-range effort but Mildenhall was again equal to it.
Revell probably deserved to get himself on the scoresheet by virtue of the number of chances presented to him, but he was unable to beat Logan on at least three occasions.
Laurent then had a glorious chance to put Southend ahead, when the ball broke to him on the edge of the area, but his shot was bravely blocked by Luton’s goalscorer.
However, Southend took the lead soon after. Roper was again the offender, fouling Betsy 25 yards from goal, though Luton believe they should have been awarded a free-kick a few seconds earlier, following an aerial challenge by Laurent on Spillane.
It mattered not to Stanislas who once more stepped up and this time his dead ball gave Logan no chance, bending into the far corner to cheer the Southend faithful.
Buoyed by their one goal advantage, Southend upped the tempo and had two opportunities to extend their lead in close succession, but neither forward could convert crosses from Betsy and Simon Francis and Southend were left with just a one-goal lead at the break.
A rather scrappy second half contrasted with the open, chance-filled first 45, though it was Southend who always looked the more likely to progress into the next round of The FA Cup.
The visitors took a while to settle after the break and an Asa Hall effort on 58 minutes was their first after the restart.
Southend full-back Johnny Herd saw an effort saved well by Logan on 63 minutes as the hosts continued to search for a second, with Stanislas and Laurent also coming close in a ten minute spell of Southend pressure.
The League Two side then silenced the home crowd. McVeigh sent in a teasing corner which was met by Spillane who directed the ball goalwards. Though Laurent attempted to clear off the line, assistant referee Marvin Thompson deemed the ball to have entered the goal and Luton had an unlikely equaliser.
Parity was brief however, as just four minutes later, Betsy out-paced Jake Howells on the right-flank before cutting the ball back to Stanislas to score his, and Southend’s second of the game.
In the final minute, two Shrimpers substitutes combined as Anthony Grant’s cross was guided home by James Walker to put the result beyond doubt.
There was still time for 15-year-old Femi Orenuja to come off the bench to become Southend’s youngest ever player and everyone at Roots Hall now await Sunday’s Third Round draw with interest.
Teams
Southend United
1 Steve Mildenhall, 2 Simon Francis, 5 Peter Clarke, 6 Adam Barrett (C), 8 Alan McCormack, 11 Alex Revell (10 James Walker, 77), 18 Johnny Herd, 20 Jean-Francois Christophe (7 Anthony Grant, 66), 21 Kevin Betsy, 26 Francis Laurent, 35 Junior Stanislas, (41 Femi Orenuja, 90+3)
Subs not used 15 Osei Sankofa, 24 Ian Joyce, 30 Stuart O’Keefe, 37 Justin Hazell
Manager Steve Tilson
Luton Town
21 Conrad Logan, 2 Claude Gnakpa, 3 Sol Davis (11 Lewis Emanuel, 72), 5 Ian Roper (6 George Pilkington, 51), 20 Michael Spillane, 28 Paul McVeigh, 17 Kevin Watson (C), 14 Asa Hall, 16 Rossi Jarvis (23 Wayne Andrews, 72) 18 Chris Martin, 33 Jake Howells
Subs not used 1 Dean Brill, 40 Scott Sinclair, 7 Garreth O’Connor, 25 George Beavan
Manager Mick Harford
Referee Andrew Penn
Assistant Referees W Atkin and M F Thompson
Attendance 4,111