AN injury time equaliser from the in-form Gus Scott-Morriss saw Southend United secure a 2-2 draw against Dagenham & Redbridge at Roots Hall this afternoon.

The Shrimpers took an early lead through Oli Coker before a penalty from Reece Grego-Cox and a well-taken effort from Josh Rees put Daggers ahead.

But, just as Blues seemed set to slump to their second 2-1 defeat in the space of just three days, Scott-Morriss headed home his fourth goal in five games to rescue a share of the spoils for Kevin Maher’s side.

The Shrimpers had earlier started the encounter brightly and opened the scoring after just five minutes with Coker on target for the first time this season.

The move began with George Moncur charging forward and unleashing a low, left footed shot which deflected into the path of Harry Cardwell.

The striker steadied himself before rolling the ball back to the on-rushing Coker who scored with an assured right foot finish into the bottom right hand corner of the net from 10 yards.

The home-side remained on top and came close to making it 2-0 when Noor Husin’s inswinging cross from the right hand side was met by Jack Bridge whose downward header was blocked by the feet of Dagenham goalkeeper Elliot Justham.

The Shrimpers stayed on top but were forced into their first change of the game with 24 minutes on the clock as Coker limped off and was replaced by Jack Wood.

And, just five minutes later, Blues suffered an even bigger blow as the visitors drew back level from the penalty spot.

Referee Daniel Middleton awarded the spot-kick after adjudging Bridge to have brought down Dion Pereira inside the penalty area and Grego-Cox made no mistake with a calm low shot into the centre of the net from 12 yards.

Shrimpers’ first team coach Mark Bentley and boss Kevin Maher were both yellow carded in the aftermath of the equaliser but the hosts soon rallied with Wood firing wide of the left post when well placed in the right hand side of the penalty area.

After surviving the scare, Dagenham came within a whisker of going in front at the start of the second half as Junior Morais’ rising effort was impressively pushed onto the top of the right post by Collin Andeng Ndi.

With play soon switching back to the other end of the field, Bridge failed to cleanly connect with a deflected right wing cross from Scott-Morriss.

But, with 74 minutes on the clock, Dagenham took the lead as Josh Umerah’s attempted shot dropped into the path of former Southend High School upil Rees who scored with an assured right footed shot into the left hand side of the South Stand net.

The Shrimpers responded with a double change as Joe Gubbins replaced Adam Crowther and James Morton took the place of an injured looking Cav Miley in midfield.

After the changes, Blues skipper Nathan Ralph headed Bridge’s left wing corner over the crossbar before Justham did well to keep out Harry Cardwell's header low down to his right hand side.

But the Shrimpers refused to give in and four minutes into stoppage time, they drew back level as Scott-Morriss nodded Wood’s right wing cross into the bottom left hand corner of the net to ensure the game ended all square.