FALL guy Callum Hart said a controversial penalty incident had "killed" Cherries as they bowed out of the Carling Cup on Tuesday.

Referee Paul Melin infuriated the Dean Court faithful when he pointed to the spot after claiming Hart had handled Mark Gower's cross.

The official's baffling decision allowed Freddy Eastwood to put the Shrimpers ahead from the spot in the 55th minute.

And it knocked the stuffing out of Cherries after Steve Fletcher's 47th-minute volley had cancelled out Gower's first-half opener.

Speaking to the Daily Echo following the final whistle, Hart said: "I still can't believe it and neither can the lads.

"My hands were by my side and he just hit the ball against me. Even the Southend players were laughing when Freddy Eastwood was about to take the penalty because they couldn't believe he had given it.

"Everyone is disappointed because we were on top at the time and that incident killed us. But fair play to the lads, we kept going.

"I thought we played well in the second half and did okay in the first half and there are lots of positives to take into Saturday's game at Doncaster."

Eastwood capitalised on an error by Josh Gowling to put the tie beyond Cherries in the 67th minute - but the damage had already been done by the penalty decision.

Southend boss Steve Tilson said: "I didn't have the greatest of views but if that penalty had been given against my team, I would have felt hard done by. I'd like to see the video before I make a definitive comment but it looked a bit harsh."

Tilson added: "It was nice to get a good result. This is a tough place to come and they are a good footballing side. I've been here a couple of times and we haven't won."

Cherries boss Sean O'Driscoll said: "I thought we started really well. Then, we let a goal in and I didn't think we did enough.

"We looked like we were going out of the game without really having a go. But I thought we were really bright in the second half and got back in the game with a great goal.

"We had two blatant penalties turned down at Yeovil a couple of weeks ago and then that one went against us as well."