Southend United goalkeeper Darryl Flahavan is still struggling to believe that Barnsley's late equaliser was allowed to stand at Roots Hall on Saturday.

The Shrimpers seemed to be heading through to the fourth round of the FA Cup after Mark Gower put them ahead in the woeful wet conditions.

But Steve Tilson's side were pegged back right at the death when Tykes substitute Simon Coulson appeared to handle the ball over the goal-line after Flahavan had parried a shot from Simon Togwell up into the air.

"It was as clear as anything," said Flahavan.

"I think everyone on the pitch and in the ground, apart from the officials, could see that their player had punched it in but they didn't give anything which is very disappointing.

"The linesman must have only been about 20 yards away but he didn't flag and it this sort of thing seems to keep happening to us.

"The goal that knocked us out of the Carling Cup at Spurs was blatantly offside and these decisions are getting harder and harder for us to take."

Full story in today's Echo.