The FA Cup's second round battle of Essex was won by Southend United who overcame plucky part-timers Canvey Island at a mud splattered Roots Hall on Sunday afternoon.
Goals from Shrimpers duo Scott Forbes and Ben Abbey gave Third Division Blues a slender victory over their near neighbours, who set up a grand stand finish when striker Wayne Vaughan found the net in the last minute.
Over the last few weeks this Cup tie has captured the imagination of football lovers across south-Essex as soccer fans have counted down the days anxiously in anticipation of the big day.
Ryman Premier Division promotion chasers Canvey switched the game from their tiny Park Lane ground to Roots Hall to satisfy the demand of thousands of people desperate to see two of the county's top sides go head to head.
And both teams fought valiantly against horrendous weather conditions to keep a near full house of 11,402 spectators at Roots Hall entertained.
Canvey, playing in their traditional yellow and blue home strip, never let anybody down as they put in 110 per cent effort in the hope of pulling off another cup shock to match their heroics against Port Vale in the previous round.
And more than 4,000 Gulls fans made the short trip to Roots Hall to watch a match which was played in front of a friendly atmosphere, which both Canvey boss Jeff King and Southend chief David Webb had appealed for before the game.
However, the Shrimpers, playing in their orange change of kit, never allowed the Islanders the merest sniff of another upset as they gained the victory they deserved for a professional display over the 90 minutes.
Blues held the upper hand in two vital areas as they took an early grip on a game many people thought had the potential to end in a humiliating defeat for the Seasiders.
Right from the off, Southend wrestled the midfield scrap away from Canvey, as the hard working Kevin Maher controlled the tempo of the game.
The former Spurs trainee was tigerish in the tackle and intelligent on the ball as he instigated the majority of Blues' forward forays across the battered and sticky Roots Hall playing surface.
And at the back, Southend's central defensive duo of skipper Phil Whelan and Leo Roget put in a no-nonsense performance as they shackled Canvey's highly-rated strike partnership of Vaughan and Neil Gregory.
But Canvey had their own heroes as well. Former Southend player Mark Stimson, one of three Blues old boys in the Gulls' starting line-up, was strong for the Islanders at both left-back and in midfield.
And Canvey skipper Steve Tilson, who enjoyed nine-years as a Shrimpers favourite, was always a danger at set-piece situations, as his curled free-kicks and corners gave Southend's rearguard the odd nervous moment.
But it was another member of the Islanders' team who was without doubt the most outstanding player on the whole pitch - defender Steve Ward.
As Southend held the territorial advantage, the red haired centre-half stood stoutly, keeping the Football League club at bay almost single-handedly at times.
Ward made a catalogue of last ditch tackles and headers to protect his goalkeeper Ashley Harrison and it was a tragedy that the omnipresent stopper had to end up on the losing side.
But ultimately, one team had to win a game which was a great spectacle for the watching neutrals just happy to see another Essex team join Dagenham and Redbridge in the third round draw.
And Southend went looking for the early goal straight away, with Harrison doing well to claim crosses ahead of Blues forward Martin Carruthers and Whelan during the opening minute.
The game settled down and ten minutes had ticked away before the Seasiders burst forward again through Abbey, but his weak shot was easily absorbed by the Canvey defence.
Tilson nearly put Vaughan through with a neatly chipped pass on 12 minutes, but he was denied by Whelan's timely interception, which he would repeat again a few seconds later.
Canvey midfielder John Kennedy registered the first shot on target as he picked up a cleared left-wing corner from Alex Inglethorpe, but he was blocked out by a cluster of Southend bodies.
And with 18 minutes gone the excitement changed ends as Harrision spilled a free-kick from David Lee under pressure from Whelan, which ex-Blues defender Craig Davidson did well to hack away from Abbey.
Harrison then regained his composure to hold on to a low 20-yard drive at the second attempt from Southend midfielder Russell Williamson.
Flahavan then lost his sense of direction in the Shrimpers' goal, but recovered to claim Inglethorpe's header from Stimson's left-flank centre.
On the half-hour mark, Whelan threw his lumbering frame through a crowd of players to connect with Scott Forbes' cross and flash a header past Canvey's right post.
And the quick footed Williamson smashed another shot on target after racing through the centre of the park, but Harrison claimed the 25-yard effort comfortably.
By this stage, Southend were playing most of their football around the Islanders' penalty area and Forbes sent a downward header wide of the mark after meeting fellow wideman Lee's right-wing cross.
However, Forbes stole the show after 38 minutes when he put Blues in the driving seat with a magical goal born straight out of the best traditions of FA Cup folklore.
Maher picked up the ball and found Forbes on the left-hand side of Canvey's box, leaving the winger to side-step Gulls defender Micky Bennett and curl a sweet shot inside the right post from 18-yards.
Canvey manager King decided to change things around at half-time in an attempt to force a way back into the game.
The Gulls chief pulled off injured midfielder Peter Smith, giving flankman Sammy Cooper a chance to shine as he switched to a more attack minded 3-5-2 formation.
However, Southend carved out the first chance of the second period as Lee latched on to a rare lapse from Ward, before dragging a 25-yard drive past the left post.
And Carruthers had a golden opportunity to kill off the game a minute later, when the striker was put clear of the Canvey defence by Forbes, but he screwed wide of the mark from 16-yards.
Carruthers found the target after an hour, but Harrison held his low penalty box drive after the Gulls' defence had been disorientated by a Forbes free-kick.
And with 63 minutes gone, Harrision did well to clear from Abbey after Bennett, who had Carruthers breathing down his neck, had put the Canvey keeper in trouble with a hospital back pass.
Lee then hammered a central free-kick straight into a steadfast Canvey defensive wall and Blues looked to have scored a bone fide second goal on 68 minutes.
Carruthers seized on to a back header from Ward and rolled the ball past Harrison, but the referee disallowed the effort claiming Abbey, who was never interfering with play, was offside.
Bennett relieved the pressure on the Canvey goal after 71 minutes as he pushed up field to meet a right-wing Tilson free-kick, but his header flew inches off target. Inglethorpe then lashed a drive from the edge of the box into Flahavan's gloves.
And Harrison made the save of the match after 74 minutes, from one of his own team mates, as he flung himself across goal to claw away a header from Bennett, who was trying to cut out a set-piece from Lee.
Canvey substitute Adam Miller, another player with Southend connections, pulled a shot well wide with 79 minutes gone as Blues desperately cleared their lines.
But the Shrimpers got the all important second goal ten minutes from time. Canvey failed to clear a long goal-kick from Flahavan, which bounced to the edge of their penalty area, allowing Abbey to steal a yard on Ward and place a low shot under Harrison.
Vaughan thought he had a penalty soon after when his shot hit Forbes in the Southend box and Kennedy lashed wide of the target after Tilson's left-wing cross had been allowed to bobble across the Southend penalty area.
And Canvey, who are renowned for their amazing staying power, which saw them fight back from 4-2 down to force a replay in the last couple of minutes of their first clash with Port Vale, set up a grand finale in the last minute.
Cooper found Canvey substitute Andy Jones with an inch perfect cross field pass, leaving the front-runner to beat Blues fullback Martyn Booty on the left-wing and whip over a cross.
Flahavan could only parry the low centre into Vaughan's path and the poacher made no mistake from six-yards, claiming his fifth FA Cup goal in all rounds, which signalled the end of a wet, but memorable afternoon at Roots Hall.
Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article