Southend United’s manager, Kevin Maher, expressed his joy for everyone connected with the club after they secured a spot in the FA Trophy final at Wembley in May, coming from behind to defeat Southport 3-1 at Haig Avenue.
This marks the second consecutive year that Southend will play at Wembley, having experienced heartbreak in last June’s National League promotion final against Oldham Athletic, just a year after the protracted takeover of the club was finalized.
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Maher was thrilled that his players managed to earn another opportunity to find success at the national stadium, especially after overcoming a potential upset.
After trailing 1-0 at halftime due to Chris Sze’s opening goal for Southport, Southend quickly responded with goals from Charley Kendall and Jack Bridge, followed by Kendall’s second goal in the final moments of the match.
“I’m thrilled for the football club and everyone who has put in so much hard work during these challenging times,” Maher said during an interview with BBC Essex. “These are the moments we aspire to as a football club – to go to Wembley and enjoy the experience.”
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“I want to win trophies, and I’m delighted that we managed to claim the victory in the second half. These are significant moments for the fans and players alike. The fans have endured some tough times.”
“I had higher expectations for this season; I wanted more points – we should have earned more points. Yet, I recognize we are making progress and still have much to achieve. We’ll put this behind us and focus on Tuesday night against Yeovil Town.”
“We’re evolving and have further to go. Now everyone involved can look forward to a trip to Wembley, and I’m pleased for all who have worked so hard. The owners who bought and saved the club deserve this moment. I want to win it.”
In the final, Southend will take on fellow National League team Wealdstone, who triumphed over Marine – Southport’s Merseyside counterparts – with a 1-0 victory at Grosvenor Vale.
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This match concluded in dramatic style, with striker Micah Obiero scoring the decisive goal deep into second-half stoppage time, managing to capitalize on a missed clearance from goalkeeper Dante Baptiste to beat Jack McIntyre.
Wealdstone also set a record attendance at Grosvenor Vale, with 4,000 supporters cheering them on as they booked their place at Wembley.
“I’m disappointed with how we lost the game,” Marine manager Bobby Grant shared with BBC Radio Merseyside. “I would be lying if I said otherwise. We only missed one long ball all match, and their striker delivered an incredible finish. It was a fantastic goal, especially to win it in the 93rd minute. They deserve credit.”
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“My players have been incredible, and I felt we should have won the game. We’ll learn from this experience, but if we keep this group together, we’ll have plenty of chances like this. We’ll go for it in the league now.”