Peter Murphy kept his place at the heart of the Carlisle defence as Danny Livesey continued his recovery from a niggly injury, and Ben Marshall was given the all-clear as he shook off the affects of a bang to the calf from the Tuesday night game.

Paul Thirlwell got the nod in midfield alongside Adam Clayton with Scott Dobie and Jason Price handed the task of causing problems along the Southend back line.

The home side started on the front foot with Scannell finding space on the right flank. He made room for the cross in front of Horwood but it was deep and it drifted away harmlessly.

Good football through the heart of the United defence took Vernon into the area on 4 minutes but Keogh came across to cover and he was able to ease the ball away.

United found themselves with the early lead though on 6 minutes when Horwood and Robson combined on the left. The defender wrapped his boot around the ball as he headed towards the corner flag. The cross was perfect for Dobie as he ran across his defender and glanced the header into the bottom corner.

Collin had to claw a drilled effort from the edge of the area from Scannell away as it threatened to creep in, and Paterson glanced a Francis cross just wide as the home side tried to get back into the game.

Carlisle doubled their lead on 13 minutes when Horwood clipped a high ball into the box towards Price and Dobie. They let it go, but Ben Marshall was on hand to nod it in as the static Southend defence stood and watched.

Horwood went close himself on 18 minutes when he found himself with plenty of time on the ball 22 yards from goal. He struck it cleanly but it was always rising and it whipped just past the angle of post and bar.

The Cumbrians looked dangerous again on 22 minutes when Price battled for the ball inside the box. It broke to Marshall but his volley was parried with a diving save from the keeper. Dobie got to the rebound but his header was weak and Mildenhall grasped it gratefully out of the air.

Southend were right back in it on 25 minutes when Moussa was played in on the overlap. He picked his spot with a neat finish in the bottom corner that left Collin with no chance.

Evan Horwood cleared another goal bound Moussa volley off the line as Southend pushed forward, but Adam Barrett was on hand to power the resulting corner in and level the scores as he was left unmarked at the far post.

Southend had their tails up and another Scannell shot was blocked by Horwood as the pressure mounted on the Carlisle goal, and Francis blazed a long range free kick over the bar when he took charge of an elaborate set piece build up.

United found their attacking feet again on 37 minutes when Clayton fed a pass to Marshall on the right. His cross came off a defender and it had to be shepherded behind as Dobie tried to finish it off.

Half Time: Southend 2 - 2 United

Southend were a whisker away from grabbing the lead with just 46 seconds on the second half clock when Paterson and McCormack worked their way into the area. The cut-back for Paterson was inch perfect but he couldn't keep his toe poke down and it curled over the crossbar.

Harte had a 19 yard free kick blocked as the fans behind the goal waited in anticipation, and the follow up from Thirlwell suffered the same fate in a packed penalty area.

Mildenhall produced a wonder save to deny Murphy from the corner as the centre back connected well with the loose ball.

Southend were reduced to ten men on 67 minutes when Barrett picked up a second yellow for a late challenge on Peter Murphy inside the Carlisle area.

But the home side kept going and Scannell nearly put them ahead moments later when he ran from midfield and side footed a wicked dipping shot towards the top corner. Collin readjusted and was able to gather it at the second attempt.

Scott Vernon should have done better on 81 minutes when he moved into space to greet a Scannell cross. He made the connection but his poor effort was always drifting wide.

Ben Marshall earned his side a corner with 5 minutes left to play with a deflected speculative shot from distance, and Keogh tried the same as he bundled his way to the edge of the Southend box.

Simon Francis bent a 24 yard free kick just wide with seconds left to play and that was that as Carlisle took home a share of the spoils.

Goals

Southend - Moussa (25), Barrett (28)

United - Dobie (6), Marshall (13)

Bookings

Southend - Barrett (21 & 67 sent off), Baldwin (89)

Teams 

Southend - Mildenhall, Francis, Baldwin, Barrett, Grant, McCormack, Paterson (Sankofa 71), Scannell, Moussa, Vernon, Herd. Subs (not used) - Malone, M'Voto, O'Keefe, Spencer, Crawford, Bentley.

United - Collin, Keogh, Murphy, Harte, Horwood, Marshall, Clayton, Thirlwell, Robson, Dobie (Madine 75), Price (Bridge-Wilkinson 89). Subs (not used) - Gillespie, Kavanagh, Offiong, Aldred, Kane.

Away fans - 217