Boston United and Southend United both held winning positions but were forced to settle for a share of the spoils following a six-goal thriller on Saturday afternoon.
Andrew Dallas had handed the Shrimpers a 19th minute lead – but United quickly levelled through Lenell John-Lewis and ultimately took a stranglehold after the break, with Frankie Maguire (from the penalty spot) and John-Lewis on target inside a four-minute spell before the hour mark.
Dallas reduced the arrears with a 66th minute penalty and substitute Slavi Spasov ensured honours ended even when he seized upon a poor clearance from debutant United keeper Andrew Wogan.
Wogan had been preferred to Rhys Lovett and Bobby Jones prior to kick-off, while there were also starts for Matty Carson and fit-again John-Lewis.
Maguire wanted a penalty in the 15th minute – but was booked for simulation – and Southend edged in front four minutes later when DALLAS, a one-time United target during the Craig Elliott era, headed home at the back post after meeting Harry Boyes’ cross from the left.
The Pilgrims took nine minutes to respond, with Maguire putting the ball on a plate for JOHN-LEWIS to steer home from close-range.
Chances were not frequent for either side – and the next meaningful opportunity was presented to the Pilgrims nine minutes after the break following Cav Miley’s bizarre handball in the box. MAGUIRE crashed home the resultant spot-kick.
United were in dreamland in the 58th minute when Maguire whipped in a fabulous ball from the right and JOHN-LEWIS powerfully headed beyond Collin Andeng Ndi.
Southend roared back, with Ken Aboh penalised for another handball offence, with DALLAS coolly slotting home his second of the afternoon.
Southend’s Ben Goodliffe produced a superb block to stop Connor Teale rolling home Boston’s fourth and it laid the platform for the Shrimpers’ leveller six minutes later.
Wogan kicked a routine free-kick on the byline straight to substitute SPASOV, who held off Carson to roll home one of the simplest goals of his career.
There were balls across both boxes in a frenzied finale, but both sides were forced to settle for a point after a JCS classic.
Boston (4-2-3-1): Andrew Wogan; Marcel Lavinier (Ben Grist 69), Oisin Gallagher, Connor Teale, Matty Carson; Jordan Richards, Greg Sloggett; Ken Aboh, Frankie Maguire, Dylan Hill (Liam Waldock 90); Lenell John-Lewis. Subs (not used): Kieren Donnelly, Jordy Hiwula, Alex Lankshear, Arjan Raikhy, Rhys Lovett (gk).
Southend (3-4-1-2): Collin Andeng Ndi; Ben Goodliffe, Harry Taylor, Joe Gubbins; Gus Scott-Morriss, Leon Parillon (Sam Austin 90), Cav Miley (James Morton 60), Oli Coker (Keenan Appiah-Forson 73), Harry Boyes; Charley Kendall (Slavi Spasov 60), Andrew Dallas (Josh Walker 90). Subs (not used): Jack Bridge, Owen Mason (gk).
Referee: James Westgate.
Attendance: 2,281 (536 visitors).
PIC: Chris Bray.
Words: Craig Singleton
