Chatham Town were narrowly beaten by higher-league opposition as their FA Trophy run ended at the fifth-round stage.
Matty Macarthur had a penalty saved in the opening half for Chatham, and visitors Southend took the lead after the break, following a spot-kick of their own. Keeper Nathan Harvey kept out Gus Scott Morriss’ initial effort but the same player then buried the loose ball.
Southend United sat eighth in the National League table ahead of the match, beaten 2-1 at Rochdale in midweek.
It has been an incredible run to the fifth round for Chats – the furthest the club had ever been, playing for a quarter-final place on Saturday.
Hake’s side beat Carlisle United in the last round – winning 1-0 against a side who were top of the National League at the time. They’d previously beaten Plymouth Parkway, Wimborne Town, Waltham Abbey and Needham Market on penalties.
Chats were almost gifted a great early chance when a weak pass back was almost pounced upon by Kofi Anokye-Boadi but Southend’s keeper Owen Mason got to the ball first.
Mason was making his Southend debut after joining on loan from Mansfield Town.
A defeat for Chats the week before in the league had seen them twice fail to convert from the penalty, and they missed another chance on 27 minutes against Southend.
A nice interchange between Kasim Aidoo and Macarthur led to the latter being tripped in the box. Macarthur stepped up to take the penalty but was denied by keeper Mason.
From the resulting corner, Mason made another terrific save to deny Kian Moynes.
Chatham didn’t have a spare keeper on the bench, and there was some concern when Harvey went down injured, but he recovered well to make a crucial save of his own.
He beat a shot away to deny Harry Boyes, the visitors kept it alive, and Harvey then showed great agility to get behind Jack Bridge’s effort.
Home captain Reece Butler had to clear a shot from Ben Goodliffe off the line in first-half stoppage time.
Chatham started the second half brightly, and a cross from Macarthur was nearly turned into his own net by Harry Taylor, dropping just wide to the relief of the Southend man.
With an hour gone, Harvey was needed again to deny Southend, Bridge sipping past a couple of challenges before firing low towards the bottom corner. The Chats keeper stretched out a hand to save.
Southend were awarded a 67th-minute penalty when Goodliffe was pulled down by Ollie Evans. Havey saved Scott-Morriss’s spot-kick but the same player followed up to put the loose ball into the empty net in front of the travelling fans.
Chats went close to an equaliser from a free-kick that was deflected narrowly wide. From the resulting corner, taken short, Alex Giles’ header was saved by Mason.
The hosts kept pressing for an equaliser, and thought they had it on 96 minutes, when Harvey went up for a long throw, there was chaos in the area, and Sene-Richardson struck at goal. Chats were celebrating but the officials deemed that the ball hadn’t crossed the line.
One big final chance came on 100 minutes from a long-throw. Several players went down in the box but the referee waved away any appeals and Southend defended well to keep the hosts out.
Kian Garlinge headed a chance wide at the death as Chats’ run in the competition ended.
Chatham are back in action at home on Tuesday night when they host fellow promotion hopefuls Brentwood Town.
Chatham: Harvey, Cooper (Evans 46mins), Aidoo, Robins, Butler, Nelson (Giles 58mins), Moynes, Leathers (Garlinge 69mins), Fadahunsi, Anokye-Boadi (Sene-Richardson 60mins), Macarthur (Allen 79mins). Subs not used: Tambe, Olugbodi.
