SOUTHEND United winger Louis Walsh is keen to kick on after scoring the first goal of his senior career.

Walsh came off the bench to bag Blues’ final goal in their 4-1 win against Chertsey Town in the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup on Saturday.

But the 21-year-old initially felt he had wasted the opportunity.

“I thought I messed up,” said Walsh.

“The keeper must have had a hole in his glove or something but I believe in myself and I felt it was only a matter of time before I scored one.

“Now I want to get another one and make a career for myself.”

Walsh joined Blues in December 2020 but has made just eight appearances since arriving at Roots Hall.

But the winger remains hungry to succeed.

“I’ve been rejected and released and been through it all just to get here, with all respect to Southend,” said Walsh.

“It’s football, you’re in and out and you have to get on with it.

“If you don’t then you slip away.

“I just try to keep my head, keep my cool and take my opportunities when I get them.”

But it has been a tough time for Walsh who was previously with Barnsley before having a trial at Nottingham Forest.

“It's been really hard, especially when the team hasn’t been winning,” said Walsh.

“As an attacking player you want to change the game and be the matchwinner.

“I want to score goals and win games, I’m not bothered about anything else.

“It’s difficult when the team is losing and you feel like you have so much to give but I respect all manager’s decisions.

“Whether I agree with it or not you have to respect it and you have to get on with it.

“That’s the way football is and the way life is too.”

Walsh played the final five minutes of Saturday’s cup clash but stressed it was the victory which mattered most for Blues.

“The main thing today is to get the win for the team,” said Walsh.

“The last game before that was tough for the players and the staff, for everyone at the club and today was about getting a reaction.”

The Shrimpers were forced to come from a goal down to secure their place in the first round proper.

And Walsh was happy with how Blues bounced back.

“There are always shocks everywhere in the FA Cup and you can lose on days you think you’re going to win,” said the winger.

“Today the boys showed a good reaction coming back with the goals.

But the group here is a tight group and we all get on.

“We all communicate and we all know how each other are feeling.

“In house we feel good in ourselves but for whatever reason things haven’t gone well on the pitch.

“We fully believe in our ability and we will start working towards next week now.”

Blues hope to have appointed a new manager by the time Blues head to Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday.

But Walsh has enjoyed Jason Demetriou’s spell as interim head coach.

“Jase came in after the game and said it felt a bit surreal but it was surreal for everyone really,” said Walsh.

“All week he’s taken the pressure off us and has let us be ourselves, obviously with a structure in place too.

“He’s been so good all week he’s made a big difference and we owe him a lot today.”