They may have left it late, but Cheltenham Town booked their place in the second round of this year's Carling Cup and with it the chance of facing a Premier League side.
With the scores level at 0-0 after 90 minutes, substitute Ben Gill capped a fine cameo performance with a header five minutes from time to avoid a dreaded penalty shoot-out.
The Robins exited this compeitition in extra-time at the same stage, same ground this time last year so this victory was particularly sweet, especially for the 116 hardy souls who had made the trip over from Cheltenham this evening.
This was altogether a better all-round performance than the one which condemned Keith Downing to defeat at Northampton four days ago.
TEAM NEWS: Cheltenham Town manager Keith Downing names an unchanged starting 11. Downing therefore keeps faith with the side that lost 4-2 at Northampton Town on Saturday, but elects to use a 4-5-1 formation as opposed to utilising two strikers as he did at Northampton on Saturday. Ashley Vincent goes out to wide right, while Andy Lindegaard patrols the opposite flank with Craig Armstrong moving inside to join David Bird to protect the central midfield area.
For the first time this season teams can name seven substitutes in the Carling Cup and FA Cup. Cheltenham had recalled Scott Brown to the squad after an ankle injury, however the Liverpudlian felt the injury in the warm-up so first year scholarship striker Theo Lewis is drafted in at the very last minute as a precaution. The other addition is midfielder Aaron Ledgister, who made his first team debut in last season's Carling Cup visit to Southend United.
13th minute: Alex Russell and Bird combine to tee up Vincent down the inside left channel although the striker's shot lacks the quality to test goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall. At the other end, Southend striker Lee Barnard calls Shane Higgs into a comfortable save with a grasscutter from 18 yards.
19: Alan Wright flights a ball into the penalty area which Connor takes away from Mildenhall before turning and finding Bird arriving at the back post, but the midfielder's header is wayward.
21: Gill collects his second booking in four days for a clumsy foul on Kevin Betsy. Franck Moussa lifts the free-kick in and the evergreen Paul Furlong is a whisker away from converting it from close range. Cheltenham immediately pump it forward and release Vincent one-on-one with Mildenhall but the Southend number one denies the striker with his legs.
36: Armstrong fires a shot from distance, but it shaves the outside of the right post with Mildenhall scrambling across his goal.
40: Paul Connor loses possession and in turn is late on midfielder Anthony Grant trying to recover and collects Cheltenham's second caution of the contest.
42: Shane Duff is penalised for a challenge on Bernard, but Southend's set-piece is eventually drilled wide by Harding.
HALF TIME: Southend United 0, Cheltenham 0
58: Cheltenham open the second half brightly, creating a number of corners, but it is Southend who register the first real chance of note 13 minutes after the re-start. Grant slides a ball through to Betsy who escapes Jerry Gill but the wide man squanders the opportunity from 18 yards.
60: Lindegaard is replaced by Ben Gill on the hour, who takes up the role on the right of midfield with Vincent switching to the other wing.
62: Russell is found in an acre of space in midfield and releases Vincent down the left, but the winger cuts in and blasts his shot wildly off target from 20 yards.
70: Southend come close to breaking the deadlock. Higgs is unconvincing dealing with Scannell's centre from the right and Townsend is called into two last-ditch tackles to deny Betsy a route to goal with the loose ball from close-range.
73: Franck Moussa's name is added to the referee's book for clipping Bird's ankle in central midfield.
79: Bird turns defence into attack with a superb searching ball to release Ben Gill behind the Southend defence. The midfielder takes it on into the penalty area but elects to take an extra touch before shooting wide from a tighter angle.
80: Duff is replaced by Andy Gallinagh, who takes up a role in central midfield while Armstrong drops to centre half.
89: Townsend makes a pair of mistakes to let in Barnard down the left, who picks out Alex Revell at the far post but the substitute's shot is weak and Higgs gathers.
90+1: Scannell's last ditch attempt to avoid extra-time is closer to the corner flag than Higgs' goal.
FULL TIME: Southend 0, Cheltenham 0 (extra-time required)
91: Mildenhall makes a hash of a clearance and finds Ben Gill 35 yards from goal who tries an audacious chip but Peter Clark blocks on the line to save his goalkeeper's blushes
95: Vincent's swerving cross from the left requires a touch from Mildenhall to prevent it going in.
97: Revell races in on goal but Higgs blocks his firm strike with his legs.
EXTRA TIME FIRST HALF: Southend 0, Cheltenham 0
106: Connor makes way for Ledgister who moves to left midfield in Downing's last throw of the dice. Vincent leads the attack.
112: Bird attempts a curler from 12 yards but Dan Harding gets a decisive touch to concede a corner which comes to nothing.
115 GOAL: Cheltenham break the deadlock with only five minutes remaining of extra-time. Wright plays in Russell down the left and the midfielder delivers a delicious ball across the goal which takes a bounce before Ben Gill's stooping header finds the back of the net via the inside of the left upright.
118: Clarke meets a cross from the right but his firm header flies inches over the bar from four yards.
120: Gallinagh makes a superb defensive header to take Charles Ademeno's corner from the left away from goalkeeper Mildenhall, who had ventured forward in search of the last-gasp leveller.
FINAL SCORE (AET): Southend 0, Cheltenham 1
SOUTHEND UNITED (4-4-2): Mildenhall; Francis, Clarke, Barrett, Harding; Scannel (Ademeno 106), Grant (Sankofa 100), Moussa, Betsy; Barnard, Furlong (Revell 77). Subs not used: Herd, Joyce, O'Keefe.
CHELTENHAM TOWN (4-5-1): Higgs; J Gill (c), Townsend, Duff (Gallinagh 80), Wright; Vincent, Bird, Russell, Armstrong, Lindegaard (B Gill 60); Connor (Ledgister 106). Subs not used: Lewis, SP Brown (Gk), Ridley, Watkins.
REFEREE: Mr. K Woolmer
ATTENDANCE: 2,998
