A TOM Eaves hat-trick saw Southend United held to a 3-3 draw in an entertaining encounter at Gillingham this afternoon.

The Shrimpers dominated the first half but led just 1-0 at the break with Ryan Leonard on target.

However, Gills stepped things up in the second period with Eaves netting twice in quick succession before goals from Michael Kightly and Simon Cox put Blues back in front.

But Phil Brown’s side were pegged back again in the 80th minute when Eaves completed his hat-trick, firing home after initially seeing his penalty saved by Shrimpers goalkeeper Mark Oxley.

Southend looked the likely winners in the first half and, with three minutes on the clock, Jermaine McGlashan charged from deep inside the Shrimpers half before having a well struck shot parried to safety by Gills goalkeeper Tomas Holy.

But the hosts soon hit back with former Southend full-back Luke O’Neill having a swerving effort well saved by Oxley before Max Ehmer headed Lee Martin’s left wing corner over the crossbar from six yards.

But, with play soon switching back to the other end of the field, Marc-Antoine Fortune curled an 18 yard shot over the crossbar after being teed up by Cox before the Shrimpers broke the deadlock in the 20th minute, with Leonard on target for the second time this season.

The midfielder reacted sharply inside the penalty area after Holy had fumbled McGlashan’s deflected right wing cross while under pressure from Cox and fired the ball back over his head to score.

Moments later, Cox dragged a low shot inches wide of the left post before Anton Ferdinand blazed over from eight yards after Holy had missed Michael Timlin’s right wing corner.

With Blues remaining on top, Fortune then saw a low shot blocked the legs of Holy after fine play from Kightly before the Frenchman’s header from Stephen Hendrie’s left wing cross was also smothered by Holy.

Gillingham attempted to get back into the game by making their first change before the break as Josh Parker replaced Ehmer in a substitution which was the hosts switch to a 4-4-2 formation.

The Kent club looked far more settled in the new system and drew back level in the 56th minute when Mark Byrne’s right wing cross found Eaves who netted with a smartly taken looping header.

Seven minutes later, the Gills went in front with Eaves again on target.

The tall targetman was picked out by Connor Ogilvie’s left wing cross and headed into the bottom right hand corner of the net after beating Anton Ferdinand to the ball.

Blues boss Phil Brown responded by bringing Theo Robinson on in place of Fortune.

And, two minutes later, Blues were back level when Kightly latched onto a loose ball inside the penalty area and netted with a powerful low, left footed volley which flew into the bottom left hand corner of the net.

Things soon got even better for the Shrimpers when Robinson’s 20 yard shot bounced back off the crossbar and enabled Cox to bundle home his first goal of the season.

But Gills hit back to secure a share of the spoils with Eaves completing his hat-trick.

Eaves stepped forward after referee Charles Breakspear had pointed to the spot following Robinson’s foul on Byrne.

And, after his initial effort had been saved by Oxley, Eaves netted to ensure the game ended all square.