Above: Point taken: Southend United's Lee Hayes with referee Adam Tszampel. | Photos: Noel Browne
Southend United went into this game rock bottom on the league table with a total of eight points. Villa had a total of 14 points and were looking over their shoulders following a poor run of results of late.
Following this dramatic contest, Southend are now five points behind Ferrybank but have a game in hand, so it’s still all to play for at the wrong end of the standings.
Villa thought they had won the game when Danny Walsh scored from a free kick with just four minutes remaining, but a goal one minute into stoppage time gave the Tangerines a vital point which come the end of the season may be just good enough to keep them in the Premier League.
Lee Hayes was the player who scored the goal which broke the hearts of the visitors. Southend have never played outside the top flight of Waterford league football and although they are hanging in there by their finger nails, their fighting spirit may keep their proud record intact.
David Croke of Southend tested the visiting goalkeeper Liam Kavanagh with a stinging shot from 25 yards after 13 minutes, but the home outfit did take the lead one minute later. Lee Hayes split the Villa defence with a brilliant ball from just inside the half way line. Darren White chased the ball from Hayes and he touched it past Liam Kavanagh from deep inside the penalty area.
See The Munster Express newspaper for full story.
