SOUTHEND United boss Kevin Maher threw doubt on the future of some his players following the Shrimpers’ embarrassing FA Trophy exit.
Read more on this story
Help with Echo links
Tough to take - Southend United lost to Sittingbourne at Roots Hall
(Image: Lucy Copsey)
By Chris Phillips. Chief sports reporter.
.
SOUTHEND United boss Kevin Maher threw doubt on the future of some of his players following the Shrimpers’ embarrassing FA Trophy exit.
Blues were beaten 1-0 by Isthmian League South East Division side Sittingbourne in the fifth round tie at Roots Hall this afternoon.
And Maher was clearly hurting at the final whistle.
“It's so disappointing because the opportunity was there,” said the Shrimpers head coach.
"We'll look at one or two and see if they're going to come on the journey with us because we've got to be able to trust them when they go on the pitch.
"We've made changes but we should be strong enough to win that game.
"In the end we weren't.
"It was Sittingbourne's day, we wish them well and say congratulations to them."
The Shrimpers enjoyed long spells of possession against the Kent club.
And Maher should have made more of being territorially on top.
"We've had enough balls go in the box and enough chances in terms of headers and things like that without really working the keeper as well as we should have done,” said Maher.
"We've asked enough questions and we've put the ball into enough areas but we haven't made one of them count.
"We had chances in the first half and in the second half and towards the end their keeper has made a couple of great saves but you've still got to take chances.
"But you've got to put teams to bed and while it's 0-0 there’s always that danger something can happen.”
Sittingbourne bagged the only goal of the game seven minutes into stoppage time when substitute Anthony Church blocked an attempted clearance from Macauley Bonne.
And Maher found the setback tough to take it.
"Nathan (Harness) didn't have a save to make the whole game but you can see the threat was with a long throw or a set piece,” said Maher.
"We dealt with the first phase of it but Macca hasn't cleared it.
"It's almost a tackle which goes in "It's a difficult one to describe to be honest until I see it back properly."
“We thought it was a good opportunity in the FA Trophy this season to progress as far as we can and we know what's at the end of it."
But Maher stressed he picked a strong enough side to have made it through to the quarter-finals.
"We picked a team we felt should have won the game and there were enough players with enough know how, experience and quality to go and win it,” said Maher.
“We've got to watch this back now and we'll come in on Monday and go through it again.”
