Southend United 0 - 0 Grays Athletic (Grays win 4-1 on pen)

After a quiet start from both teams it was Junior Baker who stopped a Southend run with an assured header to dictate the way the first half would run. Bradley Thomas was also in commanding form as he shepherded the ball back to Hall with Shamir Mullins on a run.

Craig Pope released Harry Agombar to turn and pass to Leon Mckenzie but his shot went just wide. Southend tried hard to boss the game and Blair Sturrock found a way through only for Hall to hold the ball to stop the run. Mckenzie tested Glenn Morris with a loose shot which was held easily as Athletic looked comfortable among their more famous neighbours and had the better play.

Agombar played in Anthony Ryan to bear down on goal but his shot was easily covered by Morris. Anthony Furlonge took the ball from defence to put the ball at the feet of Sturrock but his solid shot was palmed away by Hall to be cleared by Baker as the home side tried to push home their supposed advantage. Southend thought they had opened the scoring when a sharp move started by Furlonge ended with Tony Grant putting the ball in the net only to be flagged off-side.

The Grays back four held their own as Southend took the game forward in the last minutes of the half and Marlon Agyakwa had an open chance but lost control for the danger to be cleared by Baker, and the half ended goalless.

Southend had the better of the second half as they brought more attacking players on to try to open the play and a shot by James-Lewis was hit well over, then a Mullins shot was cleared by Lee Flynn and Sturrock shot wide when in space. Baker picked up a clearance by Hall to run forward and lay the ball to Agombar, the cross came into the box to be headed just over by a fast running Baker with one of the best moves of the game.

A clever run by George Smith found space in front of Grays’ goal but his off-balance shot was closer to hitting a house window than the net. Alex Woodward ran half the pitch to find Agyakwa and his twisting run saw his shot at goal saved well by Hall diving to his right to clear his lines. The game started to get a little physical as both sides found time and space at a premium but a double sub by Grays brought David Cowley and Danny Bunce on for Agombar and Beaney settled the away side and they tried to take the game to Southend.

A Carlos free kick was returned by Cowley for Carlos to hit the ball across goal to run wide of the far post but time ran out for both sides and the game ended with both sides having to face a penalty shoot-out.

The lottery of penalties was won by Grays as Bunce, Carlos, Dennis and Pope found the net but fine saves by Hall from James-Lewis and Chambers saw it end 4 – 1

Grays Athletic: - Andy Hall, Lee Flynn, Bradley Thomas, Junior Baker, Craig Pope, Joao Carlos, Harry Agombar (David Cowley 74), Stanley Muguo, Kenny Beaney (Danny Bunce 74), Anthony Ryan, Leon Mckenzie (Louis Dennis 27)

Subs not used: - Charlie Brien, Joe Sweeney.

Report by Steve Allen