A STOPPAGE time strike from Bim Pepple secured Southend United a 1-0 win at Eastleigh in the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup this afternoon.

The two National League clubs seemed to be heading for a replay at Roots Hall on Tuesday night.

But Shrimpers substitute Bim Pepple had other ideas as he fired home late on to send Kevin Maher’s side into the first round draw with their first win in the competition since 2021.

After a steady start to the game which saw Southend enjoying more of the ball, Eastleigh wasted a golden chance to open the scoring when Tyrese Shade found himself completely clean through on goal.

But the Spitfires winger saw his low shot blocked by the legs of the advancing Blues goalkeeper Collin Andeng Ndi when a goal looked likely.

After surviving the scare, the Shrimpers hit back with Joe Gubbins volleying a right wing cross from Oli Coker straight at Eastleigh goalkeeper Joe McDonnell.

Coker went straight back into the starting line-up after recovering from the ankle injury he sustained against Dagenham & Redbridge in late August and fought hard on his return to action.

At the start of the second half, Shrimpers striker Josh Walker flicked Noor Husin’s left wing cross straight at McDonnell before the hosts replied with Jake Taylor firing over from 20 yards.

With play soon switching back to the other end of the field, Gus Scott-Morriss volleyed over from 16 yards before Eastleigh also threatened with Paul McCallum heading Shade’s right wing cross inches over the crossbar.

In a bid to get more on top, Blues boss Maher made a double change in the 66th minute with Bim Pepple taking the place of Macauley Bonne in attack and George Moncur coming on for Coker in the centre of the park.

A third substitution followed in the 81st minute with Jack Bridge taking the place of Walker who had treatment on an injury just prior to coming off.

Bridge soon dragged a long range shot wide of the left post but the Shrimpers were not to be denied and, deep into added on time, Pepple cut in from the right hand side before delivering a low, left footed shot which somehow squirmed past McDonnell and into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

The victory was Maher’s first as manager in the FA Cup and gets Blues back to winning ways after two defeats in succession