Shenfield High's Yeshaya Lomotey netted twice for Essex in defeat

Under-18s: Essex 4 Suffolk 5

Essex Under-18s lost their first East Anglian Counties Championship fixture of the season in a nine-goal thriller at Brightlingsea Regent’s North Road ground on Thursday night.

The hosts stormed into a two-goal lead inside seven minutes and led 3-2 at the interval.

But a spirited second-half performance from the visitors saw them claim the points in exciting fashion.

Essex opened the scoring on five minutes when a low shot from Mason Shave was parried by Suffolk goalkeeper Chris Norris into the path of Brentwood’s Jacob Dingli, who sidefooted home.

And the hosts doubled their advantage moments later as Shenfield High School’s Yeshaya Lomotey powered into the box and fired inside the far post.

Dingli came close to a third as he took the ball past Norris only to see his shot cleared off the goal line, before Thurrock’s Ricky Cooper pushed a low drive from Elliot Crowe around a post.

Suffolk hit back just before the half-hour mark when Ryan Taylor slotted home, but Essex went 3-1 up when Lomotey latched onto a through ball and coolly slotted under Norris.

Crowe claimed Suffolk’s second from the penalty spot before half-time, then crossed for Sam Thrower to head the visitors level seven minutes into the second half.

And Crowe’s left-wing free-kick found the far corner to put Suffolk 4-3 up on 73 minutes, before Essex got back on terms with an outstanding finish from Thurrock’s Robbie Norris, who volleyed home a cross from Dan Walshe (Euro Dagenham).

Suffolk claimed an 83rd-minute winner, though, when Jonathan Fryatt found Thrower and he produced a neat finish.

Essex’s Alex Akrofi came within a whisker of equalising in the final minute as his low shot rolled a fraction wide and the hosts fell agonisingly short.

Essex: Ricky Cooper (Thurrock), Tyler Hubbard (Concord), Dan Walshe (Euro Dagenham), Sam Cross (Brentwood), James Shadwell (Billericay), Shadrack Ngandu (Brentwood), Alex Akrofi (Brentwood), Mason Shave (Concord), Jacob Dingli (Brentwood), Yeshaya Lomotey (Shenfield), Robbie Norris(Thurrock). Substitutes: Matt Newman (Burnham), Liam Smith (Chelmsford), Danny Joyce (Canvey), Ricky Gardner (Heybridge).