Southend fans 'delighted' to secure trip to Wembley

Fans gathered at Southend United's Roots Hall stadium to watch the Southport game broadcast live [Stephen Huntley/BBC] Hundreds of fans have been celebrating at Southend United's ground after the team secured their place in the FA Trophy final at Wembley Stadium. There was a cacophony of noise with supporters banging drums and cheering as the 700-strong crowd left Roots Hall, where a big screen had been set up to show the game away to Southport. The Shrimpers won 3-1 in the semi-final , with fans toasting Charley Kendall's brace of goals after the National League side initially went behind in Merseyside.

Supporter Andy Long was among those watching at Roots Hall and said he was "delighted" by the win, adding "Charley Kendall, with the rest of the team, was absolutely superb". "The boys played really well - they battled and they fought," he said. "Well done [head coach] Kevin Maher - he's done a terrific job for the last two or three years, taking the club from nowhere to Wembley.

" Supporter Nathan Doucette said he had been "stressed" about his team not making it through to Wembley [Stephen Huntley/BBC] Southend will face Wealdstone on 17 May at the national stadium, where they will be hoping for a better result having suffered defeat to Oldham in the National League play-off final in the capital last season. After the final whistle was heard on the Roots Hall screen, fan Nathan Doucette said he felt "very, very excited" about going to Wembley "twice in the space of a year". At the start of the season, he said he had been "stressed, but it's all good - we're there now.

If we get one trophy, that's a start". Fan Lauren Perry said she was "so grateful" for the Shrimpers win [Stephen Huntley/BBC] Shrimpers fan Lauren Perry said she was also "delighted". "We thoroughly deserve it - we done so well," she said.