Southend 2 Bristol Rovers 2

Last updated : 08 February 2003 By Footymad Previewer

Southend needed a Kevin Maher strike 14 minutes from time to rescue a point against struggling visitors Bristol Rovers.

The Shrimpers dominated the opening period and Pirates keeper Scott Howie was forced into a succession of stops, before saving Jay smith's 30th minute penalty after Adam Barrett had brought down Barrington Belgrave.

But United led at the break thanks to the recalled Belgrave who latched on to Mark Rawle's 36th minute throughball before slotting the ball past Howie.

After the interval Rovers were barely recognisable as the same team who had struggled so much in the first period and they scored twice in a five-minute spell.

First Barrett atoned for his earlier error by heading in a 51st minute Wayne Carlisle corner to level the scores.

Then Kevin Street lashed the ball past Darryl Flahavan from the edge of the area and the Pirates looked set for a victory that would have moved clear of the relegation zone.

But in the 76th minute, and against the run of play, Maher raced onto Belgrave's pass and beat Howie from just inside the area.

The Shrimpers put the visiting goal under severe pressure and both Leon Cort and Mark Salter went close to snatching all three points.

Afterward a relieved Southend manager Rob Newman said: "I'm disappointed not to get all three points "We carried on from where we left off against during the first half and we were doing well. We should have been three or four up at half time, but we came out for the second half and gave them two goals.

"But I'm pleased we got a point instead of nothing though because we would have lost a game like that earlier on in the season."