Town were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw at League Two Southend on Friday evening despite a brilliant first half goal by Lee Martin. Paul Jewell’s men were the better side in the first half but faded badly in a second period in which Neil Harris netted an equaliser for the home side.
Boss Paul Jewell named probably his strongest side of the pre-season campaign so far, lining them up in a 4-5-1 formation with Luke Hyam making his first start in front of the back four.
Tamás Priskin missed out with an injury, along with Ãvar Ingimarsson, who is still suffering with his thigh problem. Shrimpers midfielder Kane Ferdinand, who was watched extensively by Jewell and his staff last season, was absent as he was with the Republic of Ireland U19 squad.
Lee Bowyer headed Josh Carson’s ninth minute cross from the left wide during a start in which few chances were created by either side.
Southend came close three minutes later when Ryan Hall sent in a dangerous freekick from the right which Bilel Mohsni and a number of other Southend players only narrowly missed.
The Blues went in front just before the quarter hour mark when Lee Martin cut in from the right and lashed a stunning left-foot shot into the top corner of the net for his first goal of pre-season.
Five minutes later, skipper Grant Leadbitter went wide from 25 yards with Town beginning to get the upper hand after another sluggish start.
On 23 Leadbitter played in Bowyer but the ball held up and Shrimpers defender Mohsni was in the way of the former Leeds man’s lob over keeper Glenn Morris.
Two minutes later Jason Scotland replaced Michael Chopra, who appeared to suffer a minor ankle injury early on but didn’t appear to be in too much discomfort and the switch looked to be precautionary.
Martin was close to a second moments later when Bowyer sent Carson away down the left, the Northern Irish international whipping in a cross which the former Manchester United man diverted over.
Carson flicked a header wide, then on the half hour Tommy Smith saw a header deflect wide from a Leadbitter corner. Delaney headed on to the roof of the net after the subsequent corner was played back to Kennedy to cross to the far post from deep on the left.
Jemal Johnson struck a low shot through to Fülöp on 39, the home side’s first shot on goal. Two minutes later, Márton Fülöp failed to reach Hall’s freekick in from the right but Mohsni behind him headed wide.
Moments before the break, after a minor dust-up between Mark Kennedy and Alassana N’Diaye, Anthony Grant, a player understood to have been eyed by the Blues last season, scuffed wide from another excellent ball in from the right by Hall.
Town deserved their lead at the break, Martin’s goal having been the highlight. However, the home side had had their moments from Hall’s set pieces in particular with Fülöp again looking uncomfortable on crosses.
The second half’s first chance fell to the Shrimpers, Smith selling Fülöp short with a back pass and a combination of Mohsni, who had moved up front in a half-time Southend shake-up, and the Hungarian keeper deflected the ball into the stand.
A minute later Fülöp did well to get down to his left to save from Grant with the home side starting the second period positively. Soon after, Grant and Lee Bowyer were involved in a minor bout of handbags.
The Shrimpers were within inches of getting on terms in the 62nd minute when former Millwall man Neil Harris sent in a cross from the right and Roots Hall cult hero Mohsni stooped to head against the bar.
Southend deservedly equalised in the 66th minute, moments after Town had subbed two of their three central midfielders. Right-back Sean Clohessy crossed from the byline and Harris headed into the net from close in.
Town were close to getting back in front on 70 when sub Andy Drury backheeled to Martin on the edge of the area, the earlier scorer riding a tackle before stabbing the ball through to Scotland inside the area. The Trinidadian worked his way past Morris but as he looked for space to add the final touch, the keeper grabbed the ball.
The volatile Mohsni, who earlier had got away with a very blatant handball as a cross flew over his head and out, clashed with Martin, then Drury, then Smith as the game briefly threatened to boil over.
Morris saved a deflected Scotland shot from the edge of the area before Mohsni finally got his name in referee Fred Graham’s book for dissent. The French-Tunisian was replaced soon after to applause from the home support but had time for an exchange of views with Martin before he left, the Blues winger waving him on his way to the dug-out.
Healy lashed a powerful 86th minute shot straight at Morris, then Ellington shot well over and wide as the Blues went looking for a winner, but none too convincingly prior to referee Graham blowing his whistle.
Despite having the better of the first period, the Blues never really got going after the break with the home side deserving their equaliser.
Overall, it was a performance which illustrated why manager Paul Jewell said earlier today that there is a long way to go before his side is capable of competing with the division’s best sides and why he continues to look for up to four further additions to his squad.
Town: Fülöp, Edwards (Ainsley 63), Kennedy, Smith, Delaney, Leadbitter, Carson (Ellington 72), Bowyer (Drury 65), Hyam (Healy 65), Chopra (Scotland 25), Martin. Unused: Lee-Barrett, Cresswell.
Southend: Morris, Clohessy, Gilbert (Sawyer 80), Hall, Mohsni (Prosser 78), Grant (James-Lewis 87), N’Diaye (Phillips 46), Harris, Johnson, Barker, Kalala. Unused: Coughlan, Bentley, Crawford, Asante, Leonard. Referee: Fred Graham (Essex).