KENNY Coker’s stoppage-time penalty earned Southend United's under 18 side a dramatic 4-3 victory over Luton Town at Boots & Laces and kept the club’s hopes of claiming the EFL Youth Alliance Merit League Two title alive.

Coker nonchalantly chipped his spot-kick into the net to deceive the Luton goalkeeper and maintain Southend’s position at the top of the league table, although Danny Heath’s side will need to defeat Peterborough United away in the final match and hope Northampton Town slip up in one of their remaining fixtures to claim the silverware.

It was a magical moment for Coker personally, who completed his first competitive under 18s hat-trick in the process to take his personal goalscoring tally into double figures for the campaign in his 15th start of 2020/21.

And the youngster earned praise from Blues coach Danny Heath. 

“To have the confidence to take a penalty like that and kick it down the middle was brilliant to see,” said Heath.

“A few players wanted the penalty, but he’s a number nine, he’s a centre-forward and he’s on two goals, and no-one should begrudge him the opportunity of getting his hat-trick.”

“His all-round game today was good.

"He was making runs into the channels, chasing lost causes and pressing from the front, and he has got his rewards.

"He is over the moon, not only for himself, but for the team, and that’s what it’s all about. You can be an individual, but it’s about doing what’s best for the team; he’s buzzing with the three goals but also with the three points.”

With the club’s second-year scholars stepping up to the under 23s squad playing simultaneously against the Hatters, the side was made up exclusively of first-years and schoolboys, with midfielder Jaden Crowhurst handed the captain’s armband.

And it was from a Crowhurst set-piece that Southend took the lead midway through the first half.

The midfielder’s deep delivery was only cleared as far as Brian Garzon on the edge of the penalty area and he managed to force the ball through to Coker, who hooked the ball around the goalkeeper on the half-volley to open the scoring.

Within sixty seconds the teenage Shrimpers could have doubled their advantage when Williams was brought down just outside the apex of the penalty area, but Crowhurst whipped the free-kick over and then, on 28 minutes, the first-year scholar’s skidding effort kicked up viciously off the dry ground and flew inches wide of the right-hand upright.

Blues were in control of the encounter, and central defender Reeve again went close in the 34th minute when he rose highest at the far post to meet Crowhurst’s left-wing corner, only to nod over the crossbar.

There was an anxious moment when schoolboy Habib Bolarinwa was forced to block a shot at the near post 60 seconds later, but it came as a surprise when Luton levelled in the 38th minute with a left-wing pass clinically directed across Fin Purcell and into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

The half ended with Coker’s deflected strike going narrowly wide, and when the two teams went back to their coaches for their half-time team-talk, Blues must have felt similar emotions to the previous weekend’s clash with Northampton, where their failure to take the chances presented to them before the break were punished during the second period.

Whereas against the Cobblers Cameron Brown had seen an early attempt cleared off the goal-line as Southend sought to restore their lead, this time Garzon brilliantly got the go-ahead goal on 47 minutes after collecting a Sayers pass and angling his 20-yard finish in off the right-hand post just underneath the bar.

But the hosts were pegged back again shortly before the hour mark when a though-ball prized open the Blues back-line.

A few moments earlier a similar move had ended with a shot being blasted over, but this time the ball was gently lifted over Purcell and the sliding Reeve to make it 2-2.

However, Southend took the lead for a third time with 12 minutes remaining when Adedoja did brilliantly to hold off a defender and win the ball on the right-hand side of the penalty area and his delivery was swept home from eight yards out by Coker at the near post.

But within two minutes, the Hatters had restored parity yet again.

A free-kick almost immediately from the restart was floated to the far post and an attacking player superbly powered his header into the top right-hand corner of the net for 3-3.

A frenetic final 10 minutes of the match ensued, with Coker failing to complete his hat-trick after Reeve and Garzon had helped Crowhurst’s long throw into his path and Amir just unable to turn home at the far post, before fine defensive work by Droney prevented a visiting player from getting a shot away as the game entered stoppage time.

The play switched to the opposite end as Southend went in search of a winner, and a right-wing cross was sent to the far post, where the referee adjudged Amir to have been floored as he and a defender tussled to reach the ball.

Coker took responsibility for the spot-kick, and his assured finish set up a grandstand finale to the season during May.

Southend United U18s: Purcell, Clayden, Sayers, Burkey, Reeve, Bolarinwa (Droney 75), Adedoja, Crowhurst, Coker, Garzon, Williams (Amir 60)

Subs not used: Bland, Kamara & Sandat