Woking earned a useful point with a 2-2 draw at Southend United in the National League.

Cards boss Neal Ardley made three changes to the side from the penalty shoot-out win at Oxford City, with Dale Gorman, Tariq Hinds and Chinwike Okoli in for Frank Vincent, Jokubas Mazionis and Dennon Lewis, with Mazionis missing out through injury.

As for Southend, they lined up with former Woking loanees Nick Hayes and Harry Taylor, with Charley Kendall starting up front.

Woking started strongly, with Inih Effiong forcing Hayes into a save with a powerful shot towards the middle of his goal.

From the following corner, a superb volley from Okoli from Gorman’s delivery opened the scoring. His connection was perfect, the ball flying past the hapless dive of Hayes.

Southend responded with a spell of possession, but Woking continued to threaten from set pieces.

Another Gorman delivery wasn’t cleared and Harry Beautyman acrobatically kicked the ball over the bar.

Yet another Gorman free kick was only half cleared, with Okoli forcing Hayes into a strong save at his near post.

Gus Scott-Morriss then had the Shrimpers’ first shot on target, but his weak free kick rolled to Woking keeper Will Jaaskelainen.

Southend did have their equaliser after 34 minutes when a perfectly-weighted pass from Kendall found James Golding in behind, who thumped past Jaaskelainen.

Just three minutes later, Woking nearly retook the lead.

A superb left-footed delivery from Jamie Andrews was met by the head of Beautyman, with the ball rebounding back off the inside of the post and out again. Okoli then fired wide after a Southend defender slipped.

Half-time followed with the sides level. A good performance from the Cards, but they would be disappointed that numerous good chances to retake the lead were not taken.

Southend started the second half on top, with Jaaskelainen forced into action after 53 minutes, tipping a deflected shot from Golding past the post.

After a flat period in the game, Southend took the lead in some style.

Tom Hopper laid the ball to Scott-Morriss, who fired into the roof of the net to wake up the home crowd and give the Cards work to do.

Back came the Cards just a few minutes later when a long ball was raced onto by Beautyman, who showed excellent composure to lose his defender and fire low into the bottom corner.

Another period with nothing to note followed until the 86th minute, when Macauley Bonne’s header was brilliantly tipped over the crossbar by Jaaskelainen.

Woking then threatened when a Lewis cutback was cleared into the path of Andrews, but he fired wide.

Six minutes of injury time followed with no major event, as the sides shared the points.

A good performance that Woking will feel might have been more rewarding had they taken their chances.

Woking: Jaaskelainen, Kelly-Evans (Morias 69), Odusina (Lewis 45+2), Okoli, Akinola, Chicksen, Hinds (Moss 77), Gorman, Andrews, Beautyman, Effiong.

Substitutes not used: Webber, Anderson, Jones, Vincent.

Goals: Okoli (5), Beautyman (68).

Booked: Gorman (19), Okoli (22), Akinola (36), Chicksen (45+7), Beautyman (79).

Southend United: Hayes, Scott-Morriss, Bridge (Wind 74), Bonne (Waldron 88), Walker (Hopper 45), Taylor, Golding, Goodliffe, Appiah-Forson, Morton, Kendall (Chambers-Parillon 74).

Substitutes not used: Jaakkola, Gubbins.

Goals: Golding (35), Scott-Morriss (64).

Booked: Appiah-Forson (90+2).

Attendance: 6,133 (89 Woking fans).

By William Bewsey