Oxford United Reserves 1 Southend United Reserves 1
Report by Rob Craven
Harry Crawford's second-half strike was enough to earn Southend United's reserve team a point in their opening totesport.com Football Combination fixture of the season against Oxford United.
Graham Coughlan, Blues' new second-string coach, gave starts to Adam Bouzid and Bilel Mohsni as they searched for match sharpness having been granted international clearance by the Moroccan FA and French Football Federation respectively this week. Peter Gilbert made his return from injury at centre-back alongside Mohsni whilst trialists Elvis Hammond and Izale McLeod lined up in attack.
The Blues, watched by first team management duo Paul Sturrock and Tommy Widdrington from the stands, mirrored the senior side's formation as McLeod and Crawford flanked the more central Hammond in a slightly more fluid 4-5-1 formation.
It was backliner Mohsni, though, who threatened the break the deadlock first when his towering header narrowly cleared the crossbar from Sofiene Zaaboub's inswinging third-minute corner.
However, the deadlock was broken at the other end with just eight minutes gone. The Tunisian was involved again, mistiming a sliding challenge on Alfie Potter as the former Peterborough United man attacked the ball in the penalty area and Mitchell Cole stepped up to haunt his one-time employers by dispatching the spot-kick past Rhys Evans.
Ten minutes later Potter seized on a wayward Mohsni pass on the edge of the penalty area to set up Cole again, but this time Evans effected a fine save at full-stretch before leaping up instantly to beat away the follow-up from point-blank range.
Despite being a goal down, Southend continued to employ a patient build-up with Bouzid particularly impressive as enjoyed time on the ball in the centre of the pitch. Midfield colleague Ryan Hall was able to test Nathan Silver in the Oxford goal midway through the half with a drilled attempt from 25 yards that the 'keeper clutched by his bootlaces.
The young shotstopper was to make a more impressive save just before the half-hour mark as Mohsni again connected with a Zaaboub flag-kick. A well-struck half-volley seemed destined for the top left-hand corner of the net until Silver flung himself to his right to palm the ball around the post.
Blues were becoming more dangerous as the first half wore on, and McLeod nonchalantly flicked Gilbert's deep free-kick into the path of Hammond on 36 minutes. The 29-year-old, who boasts Fulham and Leicester City amongst his previous clubs, fired left-footed towards the goal, only for Silver to divert his shot around the left-hand upright.
From the resultant corner, Zaaboub created an angle from which he could whip in a wicked left-wing cross that Mohsni climbed highest to meet again, but this time the imperious header bounced on the top of the crossbar and over.
It took until eight minutes into the second period for the Blues to deservedly draw level thanks to some inspired play from teenager Crawford. The determined forward picked up possession just inside the Oxford half and held off a series of opponents before driving inside from the right and shooting goalwards, with his 20-yard effort eluding the gloves of Silver to make it 1-1.
Potter nodded a Cole centre wide on 68 minutes before play swiftly switched to the opposite end. Substitute Merrick James-Lewis was the beneficiary of a short Hall free-kick and his searing shot flew inches past the left-hand post from distance.
With twelve minutes remaining, Ade Osifuwa's hard work on the right allowed Hammond to forage into the penalty area on the right-hand side but, despite his square pass picking out McLeod eight yards out, the former Milton Keynes Dons goal-getter fluffed his only real opportunity to net and the ball dribbled away to safety.
The closing moments saw, in turn, Hall's deflected drive fly over and U's substitute Aaron Woodley take a heavy touch as he latched onto Silver's pumped ball forwards leaving him unable to successfully round Evans.
But the very final action featured Mohsni again as he brought the ball out of defence before bursting into the 18-yard box to head Hall's cross wide, leaving both teams to settle for the draw at the end of an entertaining encounter.
Southend United Res: Rhys Evans, Adetayo Osifuwa, Johnny Herd, Bilel Mohsni, Peter Gilbert (Kane Ferdinand 62), Adam Bouzid, Sofiene Zaaboub (Merrick James-Lewis 62), Ryan Hall, Elvis Hammond (Julian Okai 84), Izale McLeod, Harry Crawford.
Substitutes not used: Daniel Bentley, Anthony Furlonge, James Stevens, George Smith.
