ANTHONY Furlonge’s late goal ensured that Southend United’s Under-18 side earned a deserved share of the spoils in their opening Youth Alliance Cup clash away to Millwall.

Blues, who had lost their opening league match of the season to the Lions, enjoyed a good deal of possession throughout the match, and it was something of a surprise when Jake Goodman put the hosts in front three minutes after half-time.

However, Furlonge had the final say six minutes from the end when he drilled the ball home from 15 yards to equalise.

The best chances of the opening period arrived within 60 seconds of each other just before the half-hour mark.

Both fell to Blues’ pacy marksman Rhys Mackay, who first latched onto a wayward pass from a Millwall defender ahead of goalkeeper Jamie Farmer, but his low shot slid past the left-hand upright.

George Smith then touched the ball into Mackay’s path as Blues broke away again, but this time Farmer was equal to the teenager’s quickly-delivered 25-yard effort as he fully extended himself to his left to push the ball away from goal.

The Lions, by contrast, were restricted to a single Toby Alabi shot from the edge of the penalty area, although that was to change within three minutes of the restart.

Furlonge tugged back Connor French by the right wing corner-flag and Jack Samoutis crossed for Goodman to power the ball into the top right-hand corner of the net.

For a while Southend abandoned the passing game that had served them so well before the break and allowed Millwall to move into the ascendancy.

An impressive Samoutis delivery from the right found Dylan Richards and his drilled attempt was brilliantly beaten away by Chambers to keep the scoreline manageable.

That acted as the catalyst for Blues to fight their way back into the match and their pressure finally told in the 84th minute.

Stevens started the move when he won the ball on the left and laid it back to Teddy Nesbitt.

The left-back’s high delivery was spilled by Farmer under pressure from Kane Ferdinand and Furlonge gleefully fired in his first competitive goal for Blues.

Southend now face Leyton Orient at home on Saturday looking to build on an unbeaten Youth Alliance Cup record.

Southend United U18s: Chambers, Osifuwa, Nesbitt, Stevens, Ferdinand, Furlonge, Auger (Abdellah 59), Woodyard, Mackay (Njie 82), Smith, Okai.

Subs not used: Coker, Hyland & Paxman.