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It was only striking duo Paulo Di Canio and Jermain Defoe who caused any trouble for United and indeed it was the latter, who despite looking suspiciously offside had the first opportunity of the match, seeing Darryl Flahavan block his tame shot before Phil Whelan nodded the ball behind for a corner which eventually came to nothing.
Five minutes later and it was Defoe in the limelight once again, beating David McSweeney for pace, but another poorly hit shot was hacked away by Whelan.
As United began to create serious chances of their own, a bad foul by Tomas Repka on Barrington Belgrave brought a free kick which saw giant goalkeeper Raimond Van Der Gouw do well to push out a fierce effort from Ian Selley. Three minutes later a long Selley punt forward saw Ian Pearce slice the ball towards Bramble who's acrabatic overhead kick was easily gathered by Van Der Gouw.
As Southend enjoyed the best of the possession, Rob Newman's men looked by far the most likely to break the deadlock. Kevin Maher connected to a Mark Rawle knock back before skidding a shot straight at Van Der Gouw before Belgrave really should have put United ahead in the 22nd minute. Selley started a fine move by tapping the ball out to Rawle, wide on the left. The skillful front man got to the edge of the area where he wrong-footed the Hammers defence with a great dummy before slipping Belgrave clean through on goal, the pacey striker however could only screw his shot agonisingly wide of the far post. Minutes later and another foul by Repka, this time on Bramble, resulted in Selley's free kick just evading the on-rushing Phil Whelan.
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A fine one-two involving Defoe and Joe Cole saw Defoe stab the ball wide from eight yards before Van Der Gouw did marvellously well to put a halt to Belgrave's stinging 35 yard drive.
Defoe, who despite all his hard work, was having a shocking night in front of goal then place a very poor effort well wide of Flahavan's goal after good build-up play by Di Canio, Cole and Laurent Courtois.
Damon Searle, undoubtedly the best player on the pitch, ran strongly at the West Ham defence on the stroke of half time before firing a great shot just inches wide of the post from the edge of the penalty area. Despite the Shrimpers enjoying the best of the action, it seemed just typical that the visitors took the lead with the very last kick of the first half. A Di Canio corner wasn't cleared properly and the ball eventually dropped to Defoe, who at last found the target, drilling a 20 yard shot in off the foot of the post with Flahavan's view obstructed.
Although witnessing slightly less goalmouth action, the second period was certainly as enjoyable as it's predecessor, providing great entertainment for the 8,740 crowd.
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A speedy right wing run by Defoe saw the young striker send a dangerous cross fizzing across the face of goal, but nobody in a claret and white shirt was able to get a toe to the ball. Then, on the hour mark, Flahavan was at his very best, superbly tipping over a great strike from Di Canio before he was at it again five minutes later, making a fine save from Defoe after the nippy striker had been put through by Di Canio.
A dangerous Searle cross was just slightly too high for Bramble before Stuart Thurgood tested Van Der Gouw from 25 yards. In the 75th minute however all United's hard work finally paid off with a most spectacular equaliser. Repka, who simply could not hold the Blues strikefore all evening, was once again the sinner, conceding a free kick for a blatant foul on Belgrave. Maher tapping the free kick to Searle who let fly a bullet of a shot from 25 yards which had Van Der Gouw clutching thin air as the ball flew into the top left hand corner of the net.
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Another fine run by Defoe saw another chance squandered as he placed a shot just off target from 18 yards before Belgrave brilliantly knocked the ball into the path of Daniel Webb, but Van Der Gouw was off his line quickly to smother the ball at the feet of the Blues young forward.
With 82 minutes on the clock, Belgrave lost the ball to Vladimir Labant, but did really well to win the ball back with his pace and strength before being upended by the Hammers defender. This time Maher lofted the free kick harmlessly over the crossbar.
Only a minute later however and West Ham regained the advantage, Frederic Kanoute slotting past Flahavan from a tight angle following a stromg run across the goal line.
As the match finally petered out, United must have felt somewhat dejected by the scoreline, but to flatter the result completely for West Ham, just as they did in the first half, they scored a third with the very last kick of the match, Labant smashing home a 20 yard free kick following a needless foul by trialist Neil Jenkins, unfortunately blotting his own otherwise perfect copybook.
There is mo doubt however that despite the final outcome, Newman's men can certainly take heart from the fact that they more than worried their opponents on numerous occassions throughout the match, and Southend supporters must surely give their players a chance against another Premiership side, Charlton Athletic, on Saturday afternoon. Before them however, the Shrimpers travel to Heybridge Swifts on Thursday evening.
SOUTHEND:- Darryl Flahavan (Daniel Gay 86); David McSweeney (Mark Beard 72), Damon Searle, Phil Whelan (Daniel Lunan 86), Leon Cort; Ian Selley (Stuart Thurgood 62), Kevin Maher, Steven Clark, Mark Rawle (Neil Jenkins 46); Tesfaye Bramble (Daniel Webb 68), Barrington Belgrave.
WEST HAM:- Raimond Van Der Gouw; Tomas Repka, Vladimir Labant, Ian Pearce, Christian Dailly; Michael Carrick, Joe Cole, Richard Garcia, Laurent Courtois; Paulo Di Canio, Jermain Defoe. Subs (all used) - Nigel Winterburn, Frederic Kanoute, Titi Camara, Sebastien Schemmel.
BOOKINGS - None, DISMISSALS - None
REFEREE - Joe Ross (London)
SCORER - Damon Searle 75
ATTENDANCE - 8,740
Mark Wallis
www.thelittlegazette.com