Southend 1-1 Port Vale Wordsworth's late leveller

Saturday 4 March 2017 18:48, UK

Anthony Wordsworth's 83rd-minute equaliser rescued a 1-1 draw for Southend against struggling Port Vale at Roots Hall.

Vale have yet to win in any competition in 2017 but threatened to end the barren stretch when Chris Eagles broke the deadlock by heading home 12 minutes from time.

But Wordsworth struck from close range soon after to make sure of a point for the play-off chasing Shrimpers and deny Vale, who are now without a win in nine Sky Bet League One matches and remain four points adrift of safety.

Phil Brown's side had been hoping to bounce back from last weekend's 2-1 defeat at Gillingham and they wasted a great chance to score in the 13th minute when an unmarked Simon Cox somehow fired wide from eight yards.

Vale hit back with Callum Guy having a goalbound shot brilliantly blocked by a sliding Adam Thompson before Sam Foley's header from Jerome Thomas' left-wing corner was nodded off the line by Jason Demetriou.