City earn a point

Match report: Southend 1 Exeter City 1

Graham Cummins’ second-half strike gave Exeter City a hard-earned point on the road at Roots Hall against Southend United, after the hosts had taken a lead in the first period.

It was a header from David Worrall that had put the Shrimpers ahead, but Cummins’ shrugged off his man to fire City level with 15 minutes to play.

Jimmy Keohane struck the post soon after, but it ended all square in Essex.

City manager Paul Tisdale made just a single change for the Grecians’ trip to Southend United following last week’s home fixture against Hartlepool United. Liam Sercombe was the man to come in, replacing Connor Riley-Lowe who took a seat on the bench.

The Shrimpers controlled much of the ball in the early exchanges but neither team’s goalkeeper was particularly tested.

The hosts could indeed have gone ahead when they countered from a Grecians corner, and a great crossfield ball by Worrall picked out Lee Barnard just on the edge of the box. The striker brought the ball down well but fired over on the half-volley.

At the other end, City were almost gifted a chance when Danny Butterfield picked the pocket of a Southend man, slipped in Jimmy Keohane, and the midfielder slipped in countryman Graham Cummins who drilled over the bar from 12 yards.

Cummins was continuing to provide a threat to the hosts’ defence and it needed a good block from Southend skipper Ryan Leonard to deny the striker a chance to shoot after he had been played in by Sercombe.

And once again Keohane did brilliantly to control a loose ball on the right-hand byline and cut back for Cummins – his first-time strike rippled the net, but it was only side-netting as is first-time effort as just wide of the upright on the near side.

Southend went even closer through Barnard – a shot squirmed through to the striker, who was judged to be onside, but he scuffed his shot against the base of Christy Pym’s far post.

Worrall then passed an opportunity to take the lead – a hanging ball from the left was headed back into the danger area by the winger, but City cleared their lines well.

But when the same kind of ball came in from the left just minutes later from Will Atkinson allowed him to hang up another ball for Worrall at the back stick, who this time headed into his near post.

Half-time: Southend United 1 Exeter City 0