SOUTHEND United failed to hit the right notes in more ways than one as they stuttered to a 1-1 draw against struggling Dagenham and Redbridge at Roots Hall this afternoon.

Blues had to warm up for the game in silence due to confusion surrounding the licence they need to play live music.

And their players looked out of tune against a Daggers side scrapping for survival.

Despite that, Southend seemed to be heading for all three points when Michael Timlin brilliantly volleyed them ahead in the first half.

But Dagenham equalised just three minutes from time with Brian Woodall working his way on to the score-sheet.

The visitors deserved at least a share of the spoils after dominating long spells of the game.

As a result, with 14 minutes on the clock, Daggers' on loan West Ham United striker Cristian Montano stabbed a left wing free-kick from Dominic Green straight at Blues goalkeeper Luke Daniels from close range.

Two minutes later, Dagenham came even closer to opening the scoring when Montano teed up Jon Nurse who headed just past the right post from 12 yards.

Dagenham suffered a blow in the 23rd minute when former Blues captain Kevin Maher was forced to limp off from their midfield with a suspected broken foot.

But the visitors remained on top and soon almost opened the scoring when Nurse charged down the left flank and delivered a cross which Montano headed just inches wide of the right upright.

Southend replied with Ryan Hall curling a 30 yard free-kick straight at Daggers goalkeeper Chris Lewington and, in the 33rd minute, Ryan Leonard sent a deflected long range shot against the top of the crossbar after Anthony Grant had rolled a short free-kick in to his path.

Phillips then headed a left wing corner from Hall wide of the right post before Blues went ahead in the 37th minute with Timlin netting a fantastic goal.

The midfielder latched on to a half cleared long throw from Leonard and lashed a powerful 25 yard volley in to the bottom left hand corner of the net for his first ever goal at Roots Hall.

However, Daggers came close to equalising just two minutes before the break when Montano chested down Green’s chipped through ball before volleying wide of the left post from eight yards.

The visitors then almost equalised again when Chris Barker headed Nurse’s left wing cross straight at Woodall but the midfielder’s goalbound shot was deflected wide of the left post by Phillips.

At the start of the second half, Southend had a great chance to double their lead when debutant striker Elliot Benyon rolled the ball back in to the path of Dickinson but the striker could only blaze his 12 yard shot over the crossbar.

Dagenham immediately hit back and wasted another huge chance to score in the 58th minute when Woodall raced clean through on goal after dispossessing Barker.

But, with just the on-rushing Daniels to beat, Woodall bizarrely opted to try and square the ball to Montano and that enabled Phillips to rush back and make an excellent last ditch challenge.

Daniels then did well to keep out Nurse’s header from Green’s left wing corner but, in the 72nd minute, the Blues keeper could only look on in hope as a snap shot from Montano flew just past the left post from 20 yards.

Moments later, Nurse had a low header from another Green corner cleared off the goal-line by Sean Clohessy before Montano just failed to tap Nurse’s chipped cross in to an open goal.

With Daggers still pushing hard, Montano headed Green’s right wing cross wide of the left post but the visitors finally grabbed an equaliser in the 87th minute when a poor pass from Timlin was latched on to by Billy Bingham.

He immediately played it through to Woodall who sent an assured right footed shot in to the bottom left hand corner of the net from 12 yards.

In reply, Dickinson headed Hall's right wing cross straight at Lewington before Grant had a goalbound effort blocked by Oluwafemi Ilesanmi as Blues were forced to settle for a share of the spoils in their first outing of 2012.