REPORT: Southend Utd 2-1 Wealdstone

The Stones ended their 2025/26 Enterprise National League campaign on Saturday with a defeat at Southend United, three weeks before the sides play each other again in the Isuzu FA Trophy Final at Wembley Stadium.

The Shrimpers were the victors on the day thanks to goals from Keenan Appiah-Forson and Charlie Kendall, despite Micah Obiero pulling a goal back before the break. 

Both sides were without key players with little riding on the game for Wealdstone while Southend Utd braced for the play-offs.

Gary Waddock made one change to the side that drew with Scunthorpe United last weekend as Charlie Waller came into the team for injured captain, Jack Cook. 

The first chance of the match came for the Shrimpers in the 2^nd minute who flew out the blocks putting Wealdstone under pressure with a high press. Connor McAvoy was caught on the ball by Charlie Kendall who released Leon Parillon. His first shot was well closed-down before Dante Baptiste produced a point blank save to deny his follow up effort.

Wealdstone continued to have trouble playing through the Southend Utd press as the Shrimpers came close again just 8 minutes later. The ball was nicked away from Micah Obiero in midfield before Charlie Kendall tried his luck from the edge of the penalty area, drawing a good save from Dante Baptiste.

The hosts wouldn’t have to wait much longer to break the deadlock however as they took the lead in just the 10^th minute. 

A slick team move down the left-hand side allowed Jack Bridge to get in behind the Wealdstone defence and roll the ball across the face of goal to Appiah-Forson for a tap-in.

Wealdstone responded well to going behind, having more comfortable spells of possession in the Southend Utd half but struggled to beat the first man from a series of crossing positions.

They came closest to equalising through Anthony Georgiou who beat his man on the left wing before delivering an attempted cross which had the goalkeeper worried for a moment as it just flew over the bar.

It would be Southend Utd who would get the next goal though through Charlie Kendall in the 33^rd minute.

The striker started the move with a clever flick that allowed the Shrimpers to break swiftly up the pitch from a Wealdstone corner.  Leon Parillon drove towards the penalty area before returning the ball to Kendall who finished confidently to double the Southend United lead.

They were not two goals up for long however, as Wealdstone pulled one back towards the end of the first half in spectacular fashion.

Micah Obiero received the ball on the edge of the United penalty area, shifted it onto his right foot and curled the ball into the top right corner – a superb goal from the Wealdstone Players’ Player of the Season.

HALF-TIME: Southend Utd 2-1 Wealdstone

The second half started with a slower tempo, as the hosts allowed Wealdstone comfortable possession under the hot sun on the South-East coast.

Baptise looked to quicken things up in the 56^th minute, bypassing the midfield with a trademark long kick out to Michael Adu-Poku. The winger showed good pace to beat his man but fired his cross straight at the Southend United goalkeeper.

The Stones’ keeper was involved again seconds later, this time producing a heroic save to deny Harry Cardwell one-on-one after Southend Utd had sliced through the Wealdstone defence with some impressive passing.

This flurry of action continued back up the other end as Wealdstone combined well before Micah Obiero set the ball back to Connor McAvoy on the edge of the Southend Utd Area.

 The centre-back unleased a ferocious first-time strike that looked destined for the bottom corner but Andeng-Ndi produced a great stop to preserve Southend United’s lead.

Southend Utd should have gone three goals up in the 66^th minute after they won the ball high again from pressing Wealdstone as they look to play out from the back.  Jack Bridge whipped a low cross towards Sam Austin who couldn’t deal with the pace of the delivery and managed to send the ball over the bar from point blank range.

Dante Baptise produced yet more heroics shortly after to keep Wealdstone in the game.  Bridge continued to have joy on the left-hand side for Southend United, producing another cross which found Harry Cardwell whose header was well saved by the Wealdstone keeper.

The game then began to drift towards a conclusion with fewer chances for either side.  Southend United came closest to scoring another goal in the 80^th minute with a well struck free kick that hit the crossbar.

FULL-TIME: Southend Utd 2-1 Wealdstone

Wealdstone will be pleased to depart Roots Hall without further injuries and will look to get their key players back into the side before facing Southend United again at Wembley Stadium in the Isuzu FA Trophy Final.

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Wealdstone: Baptiste, Georgiou, Woodman, Kadji (Olomola, 79’), Adu-Poku, Obiero, McAvoy, Wells-Morrison, Adarkwa (Nathaniel-George 88’), Waller, Hinchy

Attendance: 8803