SOUTHPORT, England (March 28, 2026) (Interstat) — Southend United FC delivered a decisive 3-1 away victory over Southport in an FA Trophy match Saturday at Haig Avenue, defying pre-game projections.

Interstat’s ELO system had given Southport a 67.9 percent probability to win. Southend United overturned that expectation, with Chris Sze opening the scoring in the 30th minute. Charley Kendall and Jack Bridge scored two minutes apart early in the second half, with Kendall adding his second in the 75th minute. Southport managed a lone consolation goal.

The result gives Southend United a winning start in the competition at 1-0, while Southport begins its campaign 0-1. The final score matched Interstat’s game simulator projection of a 3-0 Southend win, though Southport found the net.