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Tense first round of 2025/26 National League, North, South play-off eliminators

It was a tense first round of 2025/26 National League, North, South play-off eliminators with Scunthorpe, Buxton and Weston going through.

Scunthorpe advanced to the National League play-off semi-finals, setting up a meeting with second place Rochdale after knocking out Southend, thanks to Callum Roberts with the only goal of the game, just five minutes in.

None of Southend’s effort really threatened the hosts, and they went down to ten men right at the end, with Harry Taylor shown a second yellow in injury time.

Wednesday night sees Boreham Wood and Forest Green Rovers battle it out in the second play-off qualifier, with the winners facing Carlisle in the second semi final.

In the National League North, Buxton will take on second place South Shields in this weekned’s National League North semi final after they beat Scarborough Athletic 4-2.

Four goals in the final 30 minutes for Buxton, with Scarborough pulling goals back through Stephen Walker and Harry Green.

Wednesday night sees Macclesfield welcome Chester for the second eliminator, with the winners heading to Kidderminster on Saturday.

And in the National League South, Hemel Hempstead and Weston-super-Mare went right down to the wire, the latter going on to win it on penalties.

Weston-super-Mare went 1-0 up in the 2nd half but the home side found an equaliser in the 94th minute. A 6-5 win in the shootout means WSM will face Hornchurch.

The other eliminator sees Dorking Wanderers play Maidenhead United, with the winner of that taking on Torquay at the weekend.

Scunthorpe’s Andy Butler told DAZN: “Southend are an excellent side and they caused problems from the wide areas, to deal with lot of balls in the box but now just we knew we’d get a couple of chances about being clinical in the final third and we were at that one occasion but not fair play to Southend because they gave it everything.”

On Cal Roberts’ finish: “He does yeah, he’s been excellent for us this year, real class, but again the keeper made an unbelievable save, Louis Jones made unbelievable save at 0-0 so yeah what a game, what an exhibition for the National League.”

On getting ready for Rochdale: “Yeah, a recovery day. Make sure we do a recovery properly. been great for us to get a recovery. Great crowd. Yeah, that’s what we want. Great crowd. It helps with being at home, so it just shows the importance of finishing fifth.

“Obviously, we’ve got to go away now to Rochdale and get a result. And that’ll be tough because they’re on the exit side. Jim’s got a great side there. So we have to be on his front foot and make sure our defensive is good.”

Southend’s Kevin Maher said, per Southend Echo: “I’m disappointed and absolutely gutted for everyone connected with the football club.

“We showed great form to get in the play-offs again but we weren’t able to take it forward.

“It’s down to moments.

“Roberts, a lot of money and he’s a good player.

“He’s scored his goal and we didn’t take our chance.

“We played the game more suited to them and we couldn’t get a rhythm or flow to our game.

“Keenan (Appiah-Forson) had a great chance and if that goes in it’s different but we couldn’t make one of our moments count.

“We’ve got to learn to be more streetwise but we don’t play like that.”

Here’s how fans reacted to a tense first round of 2025/26 National League, North, South play-off eliminators…

@bradleyxskinner replying to Southend: 9 months and 46 games of graft absolutely wasted. Bottled it. Played their game, not ours and got completely bullied.

@IamConstable replying to Southend: rubbish tonight. No matter how bad the ref was, our performance was inferior and Scunthorpe deserved to win

@WestHam_Central replying to Southend: Not good enough, hoof and hope all game. Not the Southend I’ve seen the last few months at all.

@TheScunnyLad replying to Southend: Unlucky fellas. Proper travelling support. Proper club

@Martbess81 replying to Southend: Thanks for what you did for us Kev… times up now !! Harry cardwell couldn’t trap a bag of cement and played 90 mins Kendal got 6 !!! Do you watch games with your fucking eyes shut?!! Game over

@WillMay04_ replying to Southend: Dont want to hear about the ref, thats all down to this clueless gutless cunt in charge, sack him to fuck, been 2nd best to almost every top team all fucking season, pathetic and spineless pricks, fuck them all off

@GoatScottMorris replying to Southend: that ref should never ref again

@JB_Allen replying to Southend: Horrible performance after the last few months we’ve had, genuinely should be so disappointed in ourselves

@oafc24 replying to Southend: Might be one of the most spineless play off performances i have ever seen. Proper shit ref but you only had like one chance. I dont think Rochdale will fear Scunthorpe after that too.

@AJMSUFC replying to Southend: Fucking pathetic performance, no Plan B and went out without a fucking whimper. Just hoof it up one more time after it not working all fucking game

@oakley_hodges replying to Southend: Miles off it, tactics all wrong and just overall a very poor performance, the ref was shocking and clearly let the occasion get to him but overall we were poor and didn’t deserve to go through. I think mahers time is up, playing very poor and leaving the changes too late

@shrimperjon replying to Southend: Just home. Totally deflated. Huge opportunity missed and yes we have a Wembley final but the priority had to be to get out this league. Not sure this squad of players has it in them. Big rebuild required through the summer

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