Southend United vs Wealdstone – Preview, Prediction, Team News & Lineups

Southend United vs Wealdstone – Preview, Prediction, Team News & Lineups

A long, gruelling season is coming to an end. Despite these sides failing to end their respective campaigns with what they really want – a return or entrance to the English Football League. Nevertheless, both Southend United and Wealdstone can still end the season on a high note with the FA Trophy.

Southend did have a season they can be proud of. They qualified for the National League play-offs before narrowly losing out at Scunthorpe in a tight game, while making round one of the FA Cup. The team they fell to? Wealdstone. The Stones have also had quite a strong season of their own, especially towards the beginning of the campaign, before slowly falling off to 15th place.

An appearance at Wembley is a dream come true for these clubs, but who has the nerve to dig in and win some silverware?

Road to the Final

The sides contesting in the National League enter this competition at the Round 3 stage, and both of these teams certainly have had their troubles along the way.

Southend

They began their road to Wembley with a stunning 4-0 thrashing of fellow step one side Truro City at Roots Hall with goals from Harry Cardwell, Jack Bridge, and two Josh Walker made sure Shrimpers fans behind them from the very start.

As for their last 32 and last 16 ties, they travelled to step two and step three sides Bath City and Chatham Town respectively and were certainly forced to work by their opponents for the victory. Gus Scott-Morriss was the standout in these ties, scoring a goal in each to spur his side into the latter stages.

In the quarter finals, it was yet another away trip for Southend, this time Horsham. Here, the Shrimpers flew out the blocks and raced into a 2-0 lead within just 15 minutes, which all but sealed their spot in the final four despite the hosts getting a goal back.

They then travelled to National League North outfit Southport which ended up being their toughest test of their journey. Heading into the interval a goal down, the Shrimpers quickly turned the tie and were ahead by the hour mark, thanks to goals from Charley Kendall and Bridge before another goal by Kendall late on sealed their spot at Wembley.

Wealdstone

For the Stones, they began their journey at home to step three side Cheshunt. Their first test was made a breeze with second half goals from Micah Obiero and Connor McAvoy in west London. An extreme test against Dagenham & Redbridge was next, during the pre-KSI era, where a late goal from Obiero set up a last 16 tie at promotion contenders Forest Green Rovers.

Enter one of their best performances of the season. It was an excellent day for the travelling Stones, who watched a spectacular performance against one of the promotion favourites, sweeping them aside 3-0.

Wealdstone were drawn up against Kidderminster Harriers in the last eight, where a fiery first half hour saw Enzio Boldewijn open the scoring for it to be cancelled out shortly after by Ryley Reynolds. The Stones scorer was sent off late on in the 90, but Wealdstone held on for spot-kicks, where they ran out 6-5 victors at Aggborough.

In the semi finals, it was fixture against step two side Marine, a team who many remember for their 5-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in 2021. The National League North side looked very strong, beating Woking 1-0 in the last eight. But it was that score that they suffered at a loud Grosvenor Vale as Obiero returned to the scoresheet to set up this Sunday’s clash.

Southend Recent Form – W W L W L

Wealdstone Recent Form – W L D D L

Southend United vs Wealdstone Team News

Southend

Predicted Starting XI - Collin Ndi; Jack Bridge, Joe Gubbins, James Golding, Ben Goodliffe, Gus Scott-Morriss; Oliver Coker, James Morton, Keenan Appiah-Forson; Andrew Dallas, Charley Kendall.

A sixth placed finish is something Southend will be very pleased with, and ending the season with a trophy will be exactly what they will hope for to build on for next season.

Defender, Harry Taylor, will miss the final following his sending off against the Stones on the final day of the campaign. This will force Kevin Maher into making a change which may slightly weaken the coastal outfit, but the likes of Kendall and Dallas leading the line together could still give them hope. The pair having recorded 25 league goals between them demonstrates that strengths are aplenty going forward.

Wealdstone

Predicted Starting XI - Dante Baptiste; Charlie Waller, Deon Woodman, Connor McAvoy; Anthony Georgiou, Jack Wells-Morrison, Jack Hinchy, Michael Adu-Poku; Micah Obiero, Olufela Olomola; Sean Adarkwa.

For Wealdstone, this is their biggest match in 41 years, and they will be hoping to give their loyal fanbase a day they will never forget.

The Stones will be looking for magic from the whole team, but eyes will be Obiero who has had a very impressive campaign in the FA trophy, bagging three goals so far which included a late winner against Marine in the previous round.

Southend United vs Wealdstone Prediction & How to Watch

This will be their fourth and final meeting of the season. The home side have won each of these, with Wealdstone winning at the Vale in early September in the league, before repeating their feat just two months later in the FA Cup. More recently, it was Southend who earned the upper hand, ensuring a sixth-place finish with a 2-1 home win to the Stones.

This will be a very interesting final to watch for both fans of the sides and also neutrals. Southend have won five of the last 10 meetings, to Wealdstone’s three, but this will be their first meeting under the arch. I believe that it could be a game decided on big moments, and Southend have the quality that will see the trophy head to Essex and Wealdstone’s 41-year wait continue.

How to Watch

The clash will take place at Wembley, London, on Sunday May 17th at 16:30 BST. Viewers will be able to catch the game on TNT Sports 4 and HBO Max.