A YOUNG Southend United side secured a 1-1 draw at Ebbsfleet United this afternoon.

Matt Rush put the Shrimpers in front in the first half but a late strike from Elliott Romain saw the match end all square.

Blues began brightly and came close to taking the lead following a neat break forward which resulted in Matt Dennis bursting into the box and seeing a well struck shot blocked by the legs of the trialist goalkeeper.

Ebbsfleet hit back with former Shrimpers midfielder Jack Paxman volleying over from 20 yards before Dominic Poleon, who also spent time with Blues as a youngster, fired wide of the left post.

Moments later, the home-side wasted a clear cut chance to break the deadlock with Alfie Egan sending a left wing cross from Craig Tanner over the crossbar from close range.

But, after surviving the scare, Southend took the lead in the 35th minute when Rush reacted quickly inside the six yard box and sent a low, left footed shot into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

In reply, Rakish Bingham saw a skimming effort smartly smothered by Blues’ young goalkeeper Collin Andeng-Ndi on the stroke of half-time.

The Shrimpers made a change at the break with O’Shane Stewart replacing the fit-again Lewis Gard before the game momentarily exploded into life with players from both teams clashing after Terrell Egbri and Callum Tanner had exchanged pushes.

No cards were shown by the referee but Ebbsfleet issued their own kind of punishment by equalising in the 81st minute with Romain firing home from close range.

Blues were immediately forced into making another change as Tom Clifford limped off injured but the visitors again started to push forward.

O’Shane Stewart fired wide of the left post from 20 yards before Bobby Unwin failed to connect with the ball when well placed in front of goal.

Moments later, Jon Benton was denied by the trialist goalkeeper before Ebbsfleet almost won it right at the death with Lee Martin seeing a curling 20 yard shot superbly tipped over the crossbar by Andeng-Ndi before Stewart cleared Michael West’s off the line.

Southend United: Andeng-Ndi, Howard, Davis, Sayers, Egbri, Phillips, Gard (Stewart 46), Dennis (Benton), Walsh (Clifford 56)(Wallace)), Rush (Unwin 56), Kargbo