MAHER'S MEN BATTLE BACK!

SOUTHEND United came back from the dead to snatch a dramatic victory at Rochdale in their National League, play-off eliminator.

- Tony Bugby

And head coach Kevin Maher praised the never-say-die attitude of his players who refused to concede defeat, even when 3-1 behind with little over 15 minutes left.

Maher, described the win as 'incredible', saying: "We've again shown our resilience as a football club after what’s gone on in the last two or three years.

"There are players in the changing room who deserve so much credit for what they have done-as a group they kept going as the game could easily have got away from us.

"They didn’t stop and got their just rewards in the end and it is testimony to everyone at this football club that we never give up.

"We had a goal chalked off for offside which was very tight and questionable and had a penalty appeal and it looked as though everything was going against us, but we climbed off the floor and went again which is credit to the players."

Maher was also elated for the 1,113 travelling Southend fans in a crowd of 5,560, continuing: