The Fleet came from behind to earn a well-deserved point in front of the biggest league attendance at home for 22 years with substitute Dominic Poleon the man to bring more than 2,000 people to their feet.
Southend had their own impressive backing, with 1,795 filling the Swanscombe End, and it made for a great atmosphere inside the Kuflink Stadium.
Danny Searle’s side was unchanged from the last league outing against Gateshead, with Tommy Fogarty back from international duty to take his place in defence.
And the Fleet were determined to make early pressure count as Toby Edser’s run beat a couple of Southend defenders and he eventually got his shot away but it was well blocked by Collin Andeng-Ndi.
Southend’s first threat came in the 10th minute when a close-range header from Harry Cardwell made its way safely into the gloves of Mark Cousins.
Edser again created problems with a similar run to his first-minute effort but this time he passed wide to Ben Chapman who pulled the trigger with the goal at his mercy but his shot was rising and it ricocheted back off the crossbar.
Samuel attempted a long-range effort that skipped along the ground and was well turned wide by Andeng-Ndi before Southend opened the scoring on 20 minutes. A dubious free-kick from a Fleet perspective was whipped into the box by Oli Coker and Cardwell did well to leap in front of the covering Fleet defenders to head past Cousins
Fleet had a couple of strong penalty claims as first Samuel seemed to be upended by Ollie Kensdale and then Edser was clipped by his man. A third shout followed after a challenge on Chapman that was immediately ruled out by the referee Lauren Impey with Fleet supporters appealing for a decision in their favour.
Southend went into the break ahead but the Fleet could feel hard done by to be behind and came out in the second period looking to take the game to the visitors. They did so effectively with Southend never really getting forward although they did come close with their one counterattack, Bridge supplying Cardwell who was through on goal but stopped superbly by Cousins’ block before Declan Skura denied Coker.
Bryant Bilongo overhit a couple of efforts while looking for men coming in at the far post while Edser and Billy Clifford were bossing the midfield. Edser came close when his short-range effort was denied by a hand from Andeng-Ndi but no Fleet player was there for the rebound as the ball ran loose. And Samuel thumped another one across goal before he made way for Poleon with 20 minutes left.
And it took Fleet’s top scorer only a few minutes to find the leveller in the 76th minute. Edser flicked the ball into space and Poleon ran between two defenders but seemed to have taken it too wide. However, he spotted a gap to the left of Andeng-Ndi and drove an accurate effort into the bottom corner as three sides of the Kuflink Stadium erupted.
Southend tried to up the tempo and go for the three points once more with James Morton lively but the Fleet were equal to the task. But a freak moment in the last minute of added time nearly swung the game for the visitors as Andeng-Ndi’s huge kick upfield was shanked off Myles Kenlock and Cousins had to back pedal to tip the ball high and then recover in time to grab it before a yellow shirt could follow up.
That would have been very cruel on Danny Searle’s side who more than held their own in this one and might have felt with the penalty decisions and overall possession that there were chances to win it as well. Kent v Essex Part Two continues at Dagenham on Easter Monday.
EUFC: Cousins, Kenlock, Fogarty, Skura, Wright, Clifford, Bilongo (Cundle 64), Chapman (McQueen 89), Edser, Bingham, Samuel (Poleon 69). Subs: Tanner, Domi
SUFC: Andeng-Ndi, Scott-Morriss, Ralph, Kensdale, Bridge (Demertrow 87), Cardwell (Sandat 56), Dackers, Taylor, Miley, Fonguck (Morton 56), Coker. Subs: Crowther, Waldron.
Attendance: 4,019 (1,795 away)
Image courtesy of Ebbsfleet United/Simon Lapwood