Chatham’s historic run in the FA Trophy came to an end when they ran Southend United of the National League close on Saturday afternoon, but in the end couldn’t find a way past their higher ranked opponents despite an excellent performance.

It was a tale of two penalties, one that Chatham had saved while Southend missed theirs they scored on the rebound, which proved to be the difference between the two sides.

The first half saw Chatham using a pressing game which put Southend off their game. In the 26^th minute Matt Macarthur and Kasim Aidoo combined and Aidoo went into the area and was tripped a penalty was given, up stepped Macarthur but his penalty was saved by Owen Mason this being the third penalty in a row Chatham have missed.

In the very next minute, the corner taken by Kofi Anokye-Boadi went straight to Kian Moynes whose shot from sixteen yards was pushed around the post by Mason. 

In the 34^th minute Southend nearly took the lead when firstly Harry Boyes saw his twenty-yard shot parried way by Harvey and bounced around the area where another shot close in was again pushed away by Harvey.

A minute later Gus Scott-Morriss saw his twenty-yard shot go onto the top of the net. In the first minute of added on time a free kick into the Chatham area caused confusion and ended up being cleared of the line.

The second half started with Chatham having the first chance when a corner to the back post saw Sid Nelson’s header go just wide.

Southend were now enjoying a lot of possession and in the 60^th minute Jack Bridge on the left wing cut across the area before shooting forcing Harvey to push it away.

Then six minutes later they took the lead when a ball from the right into the area saw Ollie Evans commit a foul in the area and a penalty was given, up stepped Scott-Morris and his penalty was pushed out by Harvey (which was their fifth penalty miss in a row) but as luck would have it; it came back to Scott-Morris and from eight yards he smashed the ball into the back of the net.

Chatham were shocked by this and threw everything at them to get an equaliser. In the 74^th minute a Macarthur cross into the area found Alex Giles six yards out but his header went straight at Mason.

In the sixth minute of added on time Chatham thought they had equalised when a corner into the area caused a lot of confusion and eventually the ball was the ball cleared although most of the Chatham players in the area thought it had gone over the line. The final whistle went and Southend are in the quarter finals but Chatham gave them one hell of a scare.

        Chatham Town:

1. N.Harvey    3. K.Aidoo  4.J.Robins  5. R.Butler   6. S.Nelson (58)  8. K.Moynes  14. A.Leathers (68)

15.  S.Cooper (45)  19. T.Fadahunsi  20. K.Anokye-Boadi(60)  35. M.Macathur (79)

Subs Used: 2. O.Evans(45)  26. A.Giles (58)  10. S.Sene-Richardson (60)  12. K.Garlinge (68)  28. B.Allen (79

Subs Not Used: 9. C.Tamba 

Bookings: 4.J.Robins (45) 14. A.Leathers (57)  20. 5. R.Butler (67)  K.Anokye-Boadi (68)

       Southend United:

1. O.Mason  2. G.Scott-Morriss  6. B.Goodlife  7. J.Bridge (65) 10. S.Austin (65)  16. H.Taylor

18. S.Spasov (78)  23. J.Morton  24. C.Kendall (65)  28. O.Coker  33. H.Boyes

Subs Used:  11. J.Walker (65)  19. L.Parillon ( 65)  22. K.Appiah-Forson (65)  T.Harper (78, 90+10) 4. G.Wind (90+10)

Subs Not Used: 30. C.Anering-Ndi  9.A.Dallas

Bookings: 16. H.Taylor (63)  2. G.Scott-Morriss (74)

Referee: Mr I Searle

Assistants: Mr K.Fidler & Mr R.Murphy

4th Official: Mr B.Mcdonald

Att: 2135

Image courtesy of Chatham Town FC