BEAU MacDonald’s last-minute penalty gave Southend United a share of the win in an entertaining National League Under 19 Alliance South Division match with Dartford at Roots Hall.
MacDonald showed composure to convert when he returned to the team as a substitute following a back injury after league champions Dartford had fought back from 2-0 down and 3-2 behind to lead 4-3 with 11 minutes remaining.
Mikey Faulkner had put Blues ahead after just 12 minutes, and midway through the first half Obi Okafor doubled the lead before Louie Atkins quickly pulled one back.
Ashton Day equalized early in the second period but George Pulham quickly restored the lead before Atkins scored a second to get back level and Olly Box put the Darts in front but the visitors were denied at the death.
And Blues coach Danny Heath was delighted with the display.
“It was a pleasing performance against a team that won the league,” Heath said.
“We showed on the day partly that we were better than them, and overall certainly that we were as good as them.
“That’s a compliment to the boys because it shows how far they’ve come as a group this season and how much they’ve improved.”
It didn’t take long for Southend to find their stride, with Pulham and Faulkner working together to set up Tyrese Sibanda in the third minute for a 20-yard shot that was collected by Reece Hobbs in the Dartford goal.
The visitors then showed the pedigree that had earned the title with 17 wins from their first 23 games when Box found Jayden Boulton on the overlap and his cross from close range was put wide by Atkins in the sixth minute.
Atkins won possession from the restart and dragged a left-footed shot wide before defender George Whitefield nodded Box’s free-kick wide after eleven minutes.
However, the growing confidence around the Blues side was on full display just 60 seconds later when Faulkner put the hosts ahead.
The playmaker latched onto a long ball and took the ball in his stride, around goalkeeper Hobbs and into the unguarded net.
Box saw another set piece go wide of head through Louie Earley at the other end, with Blu Husthwaite’s fierce effort charging down shortly afterwards, but the Shrimpers were more than able to match their opponents as they went forward and Faulkner edged Sibanda away for an attempt Hobbs had made. to tilt the left upright.
Southend would be unstoppable moments later as the hosts doubled their lead.
Luke Cerullo’s long goal-kick was helped into the path of Okafor by Ellis Lawson, and he sprinted clear of the Dartford defense before rolling the ball past Hobbs and driving away in celebration.
The Darts responded within a minute by immediately halving their deficit through Atkins, who received the ball on the left side of the penalty area and sent a left-footed finish under Cerullo and in from the base of the right post.
Blues almost restored their two-goal lead in the 27th minute after Faulkner picked out Lawson’s point and he sent a rasping shot against the left post, while Jake Huet’s through ball released Pulham for a left-footed finish that was curled marginally over the ball. the crossbeam.
Both teams continued to create chances, and a foul on Sibanda led to Blake’s free-kick being cleared by Hobbs before the visiting custodian bravely dived at the same player’s feet on 33 minutes to prevent him converting a measured Faulkner pass.
At the other end, Cerullo cleared Jeremiah Pinder before brilliantly deflecting a low Atkins effort away from goal.
The half ended with Southend on top as Shehu first set up Pulham for a fierce 25-yard strike which was dispatched before finding Faulkner with his next pass, with the second-year driver driving into space before seeing Hobbs jump off his line to smother the ball. his feet as he entered the penalty area.
Blues were straight to work early in the second period, with Faulkner and Okafor working together to set up Blake for a 15-yard attempt that was disallowed.
But they suffered a setback when Dartford equalized on 49 minutes as Box’s left corner went unclaimed by Cerullo and sub Day turned home from the six-yard box.
Cerullo managed to push over a Box attack a few minutes later, allowing Southend to take the lead again after 53 minutes.
A sweeping move to the left ended with Lawson throwing the ball to Pulham eight yards out and he coolly side-footed past Hobbs.
Heath sent on Piers Hatcliff and Jack Stone for Lawson and Blake ten minutes later as he tried to keep Blues ahead, although Box turned from 25 yards out immediately afterwards.
Then, with 13 minutes to go, Dartford leveled again when Box centered from the left for Atkins to tap home from close range.
Two minutes later Southend trailed for the first time in the match.
Cerullo over-committed himself and brought down Day outside the penalty area, and Blues were punished in the most severe way when the excellent Box sent a free-kick into the left corner of the net.
Heath made further changes by emptying the bench with the introduction of Louis Bragg, Joshua Jackson and MacDonald, and Southend’s persistence paid off in the final minute of normal time when Sibanda Day turned over as he received a short corner from Faulkner and tumbled to the ground.
MacDonald took responsibility for the penalty and smashed the ball home to make it 4-4.
Blues made a huge cry for another penalty when Stone was sent to the ground by Hobbs two minutes later, and despite these calls being waved away, the striker had a chance to seal a dramatic win in the fifth minute of stoppage time when fed by Hatcliff, it went crookedly wide and the two teams had to settle for a draw.
Southend United U19s: Cerullo, Huet (Bragg 80), Lawson (Hatcliff 63), Shehu (Jackson 86), Molefi, Shobowale, Pulham, Blake (Stone 63), Okafor (MacDonald 80), Faulkner, Sibanda.