Both Herd and Calver were named in a predominantly youthful line-up, with Julian Okai's spectacular opener cancelled out by substitute Henry Brown's goal for the hosts midway through the second period.
For the pair, this represented a final opportunity to impress ahead of the Coca-Cola League One opener against Huddersfield Town at Roots Hall on Saturday, although the striker will miss both that fixture and the Carling Cup first round tie at Cheltenham Town through a suspension picked up at the end of the Under-18s' 2008/9 season.
Tiptree, who have switched allegiance from the Eastern Counties League to the Essex Senior League for the 2009/10 campaign, attacked with intent in the first ten minutes and goalkeeper Daniel Bentley was called upon to pounce at the feet of ex-Blues youth team forward Joe Ilett as early as the second minute. Lewis Bristow also went close for the Jam-makers, sending his driven effort past the right-hand post.
It was with their first real attempt on goal in the 14th minute that Southend took the lead. Calver held the ball up well in midfield before spreading play to the left flank, from where Okai picked his spot and curled a sublime 25-yard effort over custodian Paul Rutherford and into the top right-hand corner.
Despite Tommy English's best efforts to emulate the young winger, Tiptree's forward could only direct his shot past the angle of post and crossbar, after which Southend enjoyed their best spell of the match.
With Okai and Marcus Milner both dispatching teasing crosses into the penalty area, the home rearguard had to be alert to stop the Blues adding to their lead. One such moment just before the half-hour mark saw Dennis centre the ball for Kyle Asante, whose glancing header was nodded off of the goalline.
Bentley saved a scuffed effort from Lee Underwood at the other end, but the visitors continued to carve out chances. Asante robbed Bristow in midfield and, having dribbled into the penalty area, was only stopped from getting a testing shot away by a fine sliding challenge by Bradley Nobbs. Captain Merrick James-Lewis then closed the first period with a low shot that Rutherford claimed in the centre of his goal.
Coach Ricky Duncan made the first of six changes at half-time, withdrawing Duran Reynolds and replacing him with Oli Nicholas. With the half punctuated by replacements, the Blues struggled to replicate the fluidity of the opening 45 minutes, and often gave the ball away carelessly.
By contrast their more experienced opponents, inspired by Brown, enjoyed greater possession around Southend's penalty area, and the replacement, as well as midfielder Nathan Clarke, were both denied by full-length Bentley saves.
Milner also threatened when the Blues did push forward, forcing Rutherford to parry out with a fierce shot delivered from just outside the penalty area, whilst the experienced custodian later produced an excellent fingertip save to touch Asante's whipped shot over on 66 minutes.
Within a minute, Tiptree - who included former Southend youth-teamer Dan Harvey in defence - were level. Brown burst clear of the defence on the break before finally beating Bentley by bending his shot from an acute angle inside the far post.
Southend regrouped well after the equaliser, Osifuwa averting the worst of the danger by coming across to cover Brown's jinking run into the penalty area eight minutes from the end.
In the dying moments, a flowing move of their own could have completed a victory for the Blues, but Anton Wilson half-
volleyed over after smart work from Calver and Teddy Nesbitt on the right-hand side and the two teams had to be satisfied with a share of the spoils.
Southend United: Daniel Bentley; Jamie Dennis (Alex Goodyear 84), Adetayo Osifuwa, Duran Reynolds (Oli Nicholas 46), Johnny Herd; Marcus Milner (Anton Wilson 87), Jamie Stevens (Kane Ferdinand 76), Merrick James-Lewis (George Smith 60), Julian Okai (Teddy Nesbitt 64); Craig Calver, Kyle Asante.
Goal: Okai (14).
Thanks to the Shrimpers Trust website for the reprinting of these reports, to read all the latest updates of the Blues youth teams throughout the season go here:
www.shrimperstrust.co.uk/default.asp?page_id=311
