The adventure is over – but AFC Telford United exited the FA Cup with a bang not a whimper.

The three division gulf that separates these two sides was never evident, and it was in fact the Bucks who looked far the more threatening for a good hour.

Two saves from Southend goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall proved the decisive moments of last night’s replay, his acrobatics around the hour mark preventing the so-called non-League minnows from grabbing a deserved lead.

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Two quick goals from the League One professionals soon after were enough to bring an end to Telford’s proud 15-match unbeaten run.

But the 310 travelling supporters who made the gruelling journey down to Essex would surely have left with their chests puffed out and full of Shropshire pride.

Their team had gone into battle genuinely believing they could win – and left convinced they should have been celebrating a place in the second round.

It was an opinion shared by manager Rob Smith and assistant Larry Chambers, who both insisted the Shrimpers side had been there for the taking.

Golden opportunity

The Bucks certainly started brightly and ran up a head of steam that Southend found difficult to contain.

Andy Brown had a golden opportunity just six minutes in, when played through by a deft touch from Liam Blakeman.

The striker rather scuffed his shot, but Mildenhall still had to be at full stretch to get a hand on it.

Martyn Naylor also mis-hit a decent chance three minutes before the interval, screwing a shot wide from the edge of the box after great work down the left from Blakeman.

It was to be Naylor’s last contribution as he limped off in first half injury time to be replaced by Steve Jagielka.

Southend’s threat was minimal, their best opportunities gifted to them by Telford – who conceded three free-kicks in central positions 20-yards out.

Simon Francis, making his 100th appearance for Southend, took all three but blasted one over, hit one straight into keeper Ryan Young’s arms and saw the other headed wide by skipper Adam Bartlett.

There was no change in the pattern of play in the second half as, one Kevin Betsy chance apart, the underdogs looked increasingly like they might prevail.

It took two fabulous saves from Mildenhall to keep the scoresheet blank as the away side’s momentum seemed to be taking them inevitably towards victory.

The first came as he dived full length to tip a Lee Moore shot round the post, the Telford man having already started to raise his arms in celebration.

Minutes later he was at it again, reaching up to palm a goal-bound effort from Brown over the bar.

Relieved Southend chief Steve Tilson made his first tactical switch straight after that, pushing a second striker up front.

And the move saw a swing in momentum as the Football League side began to enjoy sustained pressure for the first time on the night. It was quickly rewarded.

They were almost ahead on 72 minutes when Telford captain Stuart Whitehead inadvertently steered a Betsy cross towards the top corner, forcing Young into a terrific save to prevent the own goal.

Two minutes later the stalemate was broken.

Francis marked his personal century of appearances by applying the finishing touch after Jean-Francois Christophe won in the air against Young – illegally according to the exasperated Bucks keeper.

Telford chief Rob Smith threw on a second striker of his own in the shape of Terry Fearns, but James Walker made it two for Southend on 79 minutes to effectively end the game as a contest.

That strike was also tainted by controversy however, coming directly from a throw-in that clearly should have been awarded in favour of the visitors.

Southend settled for what they had after that, while the Bucks finally seemed to have accepted their fate.

Those dejected Telford aces still received the confidence boost of a standing ovation from their appreciative supporters at the end.

They have seen their team re-born as a force in cup football and have an early chance to start another super run in the FA Trophy on Saturday.

Now weren’t Telford once rather good in that competition, too?