FC Halifax Town secured a point on the road after a dramatic late equaliser from Tayt Trusty saw The Shaymen draw 2-2 with Southend United at Roots Hall.
Town got the game underway but were put under pressure in the opening five minutes. However, The Shaymen defended well, denying Southend any early opportunities.
Halifax won a free kick after a foul on Tayt Trusty in the sixth minute. Cruz Allen swung the ball towards the back post, but Southend’s Joseph Duncan collected comfortably.
The Shrimpers almost took the lead eight minutes in after a through ball nearly found Promise Omochere, but True Grant confidently collected.
Southend took control in the 13th minute, creating a flurry of chances as The Shaymen struggled to clear their lines.
Shaun Hobson gave away a penalty in the 22nd minute following a late challenge on Omochere. The forward stepped up and sent Grant the wrong way, giving Southend the lead.
Town almost responded two minutes later after a lovely long ball from Hobson found Max Bardell, who played the ball back into the box towards Cruz Allen, but his effort was blocked by former Shayman Ashley Palmer.
The Shaymen found their equaliser in the 32nd minute. Will Hugill and Raheem Conte played some lovely football down the left-hand side, with a nutmeg from Hugill allowing Conte to make a daring run into Southend’s penalty area. Conte played the ball across the face of goal, finding Amari Morgan-Smith, who slotted home.
Southend applied the pressure following Town’s equaliser, but some wonderful defending from Bardell and Cody Johnson denied Omochere.
The Shrimpers came close again before half-time after Leon Parillon found Omochere with a lovely through ball, but Hobson slid in to deny his former side.
During the break, Town made their first change, with Deniche Hill replacing Raheem Conte.
Southend started the second half on the offensive, but the defensive partnership of Hobson and Will Flint prevented any early opportunities.
Oli Coker was shown a yellow card in the 47th minute following a late challenge.
The opening ten minutes of the second half were fairly flat, with neither side managing to find that final pass.
Town made another change in the 62nd minute, with Connor Douglas replacing Cruz Allen. Southend followed a minute later, bringing on Sahid Kamara for Zavier Massiah-Edwards.
Connor Carty almost gave Town the lead in the 68th minute after receiving the ball inside Southend’s box, but his effort was comfortably saved by Duncan.
The game was paused in the 70th minute after Bardell appeared to pull his hamstring while chasing a long ball from Grant. He was replaced by Mackenzie Maltby a minute later.
Southend came inches away from taking the lead in the 73rd minute after substitute Kamara made a daring run towards goal before gliding the ball across the face of goal. His delivery beat Grant, but Omochere narrowly missed the ball.
The Shrimpers continued applying pressure in the latter stages, but Town defended confidently.
The Shaymen made two more changes in the 81st minute, with Zak Gilsenan replacing Hugill and Ben Tollitt replacing Morgan-Smith.
Southend regained the lead with five minutes remaining. A lovely one-two between Parillon and Omochere pierced Town’s defence. Grant blocked Omochere’s initial effort, but the rebound struck Maltby’s head and bounced into the back of the net.
Southend then replaced Parillon with Sam Austin.
However, The Shaymen weren’t finished. In the 90th minute, Douglas whipped in a cross from the left-hand side which evaded everyone before falling to Trusty, who fired home first-time, beating Duncan and grabbing his second National League goal.
The home supporters were left frustrated as Southend were temporarily down to ten men, having failed to complete their substitution in time.
The game ended 2-2, with Trusty’s late equaliser securing The Shaymen their first point away at Southend since their 3-0 victory in 2001.
Match Stats
Southend United
1 Joseph Duncan, 2 Vontae Daley-Campbell, 3 Kyle McAdam, 4 Anthony Hartigan, 14 Promise Omochere (6 Ben Goodliffe 88) 15 Ashley Palmer 17 Zavier Massiah-Edwards (7 Sahid Kamara 64), 19 Leon Parillon (10 Sam Austin 84), 20 Daniel Cox, 23 Josh Popoola, 28 Oli Coker
Subs: 13 Jack Sims, 11 Lewys Twamley, 18 Sean Keogh, 21 Rico Richards
FC Halifax Town
33 True Grant, 2 Max Bardell, (6 Mackenzie Maltby 72) 3 Raheem Conte (16 Deniche Hill 46), 4 Will Hugill (10 Zak Gilsenan 80), 5 Shaun Hobson, 8 Will Flint, 9 Conor Carty. 14 Amari Morgan-Smith (17 Ben Tollitt 81), 20 Tayt Trusty, 27 Cruz Allen (11 Connor Douglas 62) 30 Cody Johnson (c)
Subs: 13 Kobe Mathers, 24 Tommy McDermott
Referee: Isaac Searle
Goals: Omochere 22 (pen), Morgan-Smith 32, Maltby (og) 84, Trusty 90
Yellow Cards: Coker 47
Red Cards: None
Attendance 8044 (81 away)
Southend United 2 FC Halifax Town 2
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