Peterborough United 1 Southend United 2
Robert Craven reports

Charlie MacDonald struck twice to give Southend United's reserve side an impressive 2-1 win over Peterborough United at London Road.

The former Charlton Athletic trainee scored once in each half to guide Dean Austin's team to victory in their first outing since claiming the FansFocus.Com Essex Senior Cup against Chelmsford City a fortnight ago. MacDonald was one of seven players in the starting eleven to have first-team experience, although there was also space for left-sided duo Johnny Herd and Jordan Yong as well as towering centre-half David Obaze.

Obaze made an inauspicious start as, during the first minute, he was turned on the edge of the penalty area by Alfie Potter, although Havant & Waterlooville's F.A. Cup hero could only direct a shot over the crossbar for his parent club. Young Peterborough midfielder Billy Crook also went close in the opening stages when he half-volleyed Adam Smith's assist wide.

Southend's first opportunity came when Yong, an 18-year-old who has been released by Norwich City and who has spent much of the last month trialling with the Blues' youth team, cut inside from the left to fire past the upright. Yong also came close when he bounded onto Matt Harrold's through-ball, only to see goalkeeper James McKeown beat his 30-yard shot away.

McKeown was also called upon when Peggy Lokando hung a cross up to the far post and Harrold, skippering the side in the absence of regular captain Lewis Hunt through injury, nodded downwards to force the custodian into a smart save. Anthony Grant ensured that the score remained goalless when he challenged Potter in the area after the forward had robbed Obaze of the ball.

23 minutes had passed when Blues were given the chance to take the lead. An excellent move instigated by Alex Revell's intelligent pass to release Harrold concluded with Kieran Charnock upending MacDonald just inside the penalty area. Referee Gary Sutton pointed to the spot, and MacDonald brushed himself down to convert with a conclusive finish into the bottom right-hand corner.

Claude Gnakpa was denied making an immediate reply when his header was blocked on the line by Herd, and Chelsea loan signing Grant tracked back excellently to slide in and dispossess Potter when he appeared set to pull the trigger.

Instead, Posh's equaliser came completely out of the blue. Smith appeared to be posing no threat when he picked up the ball 35 yards from goal, but Steve Collis was caught out by the diminutive midfielder's precise finish. This time Southend were stopped from immediately regaining their lead, McKeown reacting quickly to palm Harrold's fierce effort over the crossbar.

If the hosts had edged possession in the first half, then there was no doubt that Blues dominated the second period. Harrold was first to unleash an attempt on goal, smashing over from Yong's pass, and McKeown was scrambling to his left on the hour to keep out MacDonald's low shot after a wonderful lofted through-ball from the classy Franck Moussa.

Revell, who again came through ninety minutes as he continues his recovery from injury, should have scored when MacDonald flicked Yong's centre into his path, but the former Brighton & Hove Albion marksman stabbed over from four yards out. Moussa then fizzed a shot past the left-hand post from distance before MacDonald took the ball from Josh Jirabandy, only for his chip to bounce on the top of the crossbar.

He was not to be denied however, and the winning strike came fifteen minutes from the end. Steve Collis' high free-kick was flicked on by Harrold, and MacDonald anticipated the direction of the header to round McKeown and slide the ball home from an acute angle.

Collis was at full-stretch to cling onto substitute Scott Ginty's shot, and although MacDonald was stopped from getting his hat-trick, first by Jirabandy deflecting an effort wide and then by McKeown's fingertips from a fierce shot, it was Smith who came closest to scoring in the final seconds. Grant was beaten for the first time by Ginty, and he cut the ball back for the 23-year-old, whose instinctive half-volley came thundering back off of the post.

That would have been rough justice on Southend, who deserved their win and could point at impressive displays from Moussa, Grant and MacDonald in particular towards pressing their first-team claims. The second-half performances of Zoltan Liptak, Obaze and Herd will also have pleased Austin ahead of next week's second-string trip to Luton Town.

Peterborough United: James McKeown; Claude Gnakpa, Kieran Charnock, Josh Jirabandy, Tom Williams; Josh Low, Billy Crook, Adam Smith, Daniel Blanchett (Scott Ginty 66); Jack Lyons, Alfie Potter.

Subs not used: Darren Gourlay, Lewis Webb, Luke Abraham, Evans Kouassi.

Southend United: Steve Collis; Anthony Grant, Zoltan Liptak, David Obaze, Johnny Herd; Alex Revell, Franck Moussa, Peggy Lokando, Jordan Yong (Charles Ademeno 66); Matt Harrold, Charlie MacDonald.

Subs not used: Nathan McDonald, Ronnie Jones, Stuart O'Keefe, Sam Higgins.