LEE CLARK had a point when he suggested his side might have won had it not been for the 83rd-minute sending off of Michael Collins.
But in the overall context of a dramatic opening-day contest which had as many twists and turns as a Southend fun-fair ride, this was a point gained rather than two lost.
Town didn’t come to life until the introduction of strikers Jordan Rhodes (after 56 minutes) and Lee Novak (58) in place of fellow debutants Robbie Simpson and Theo Robinson.
By that time, they were two down and looking likely to go further behind as Southend stepped on the gas.
The tide started to turn when Anthony Pilkington volleyed home sweetly from Gary Roberts’ cross in the 71st minute.
Then, in the 80th, Rhodes made it a day to remember by heading home from close range after good work by Roberts, Pilkington and Novak.
The leveller came in front of the 1,351 Town fans in an 8,059 crowd, and Rhodes couldn’t resist removing his shirt in celebration.
That brought a yellow card – Andy Butler (foul) and Antony Kay (dissent) had earlier been booked – but Collins was soon seeing straight red.
The 23-year-old, playing alongside Kay in central midfield, was dismissed for the second time in 163 career appearances after throwing the ball at right-back Simon Francis.
While Collins trudged off to contemplate a likely three-match ban, his colleagues were left to regroup and protect a point which had seemed highly unlikely earlier in the second half.
Town, with Kay, Simpson, Robinson, Southend old boy Peter Clarke and Lee Peltier all on full debut, had struggled to find any real rhythm.
There was no doubting their workrate and effort, but too many passes were going astray, and Southend were taking advantage.
While Pilkington hit the outside of Steve Mildenhall’s left-hand post with a low shot in the third minute, the home side drew first blood with a penalty in the 14th.
Impressive Belgian Franck Moussa swung in the ball from the left and as ex-Tottenham midfielder Anthony Grant met it, he was pulled down by Robbie Williams.
Given the fact that a Take That tribute band performed before the match, there must have been a gag in there somewhere – but Town boss Clark wasn’t laughing.
Lee Barnard, who had netted three times in his last four starts against Town, sent Alex Smithies the wrong way from the spot, and Southend’s season was under way.
The match lost momentum after French striker Francis Laurent had to be carried off on a stretcher after a 19th-minute challenge by Butler.
Despite the protestations of home fans, referee Steve Cook ruled the tackle legal, and on 22 minutes, decided Laurent’s replacement James Walker wasn’t denied a scoring opportunity when Butler pulled him back, issuing yellow rather than the feared red.
While Moussa stung Smithies’ fingers with a 42nd-minute drive, Town had a couple of first-half chances, but the industrious Robinson failed to stretch Mildenhall with his 26th-minute shot while Simpson scooped Pilkington’s 37th-minute cross over the bar.
Simpson was unlucky two minutes into the second half, when his glancing header from Williams’ cross went just wide.
But it was Southend doing the bulk of the attacking, and busy skipper Alan McCormack twice came close before intercepting Antony Kay’s pass to set up Moussa for his well-struck 55th-minute goal.
Town were up against it, but Clark was decisive in his actions, selecting Novak and Rhodes from his seven-strong bench (Tom Clarke later replaced Roberts as Town closed ranks to protect their point).
Both made an impact, with Novak having a shot hooked off the line by Francis shortly before Pilkington struck.
Town had a let-off when McCormack’s 72nd-minute header from John White’s cross hit the bar – and Southend were made to rue that miss when Novak headed across goal for Rhodes to apply the finishing touch.
