Dagenham & Redbridge had to settle for a share of the spoils in their National League derby with Essex rivals Southend United at Victoria Road.

Junior Morias gave the home side the lead in the lunchtime kick-off, in front of the live BT Sport cameras, with a fine low finish.

But Callum Powell levelled 11 minutes from time and honours finished even in front of a 3,542-strong crowd

Southend, unbeaten in their previous four matches, gave a debut to goalkeeper Blondy Nna Noukeu and Daggers got an early sight of the visiting goal inside two minutes when Mo Sagaf's cross from the right was headed over by Paul McCallum.

Dan Mooney volleyed high over Elliot Justham's cross in the fifth minute, when a cross from the left was half-cleared, and Harry Phipps did well to block a shot from Marcus Dackers on the edge of the box in the ninth minute.

Morias saw a left-footed shot deflected behind at the other end, with Matt Robinson glancing Myles Weston's corner across the face of goal and beyond the far post.

But Daggers opened the scoring on 19 minutes when the ball was moved from left to right to Morias, who made his way into the box and drilled a low shot inside the far post.

Romford Recorder: Junior Morias fires Dagenham & Redbridge in front against SouthendJunior Morias fires Dagenham & Redbridge in front against Southend (Image: (C)TGS Photo tgsphoto.co.uk +44 1376 553468)

Daggers, buoyed by their breakthrough, enjoyed a good little spell on top, before Jack Bridge produced a great run on the left for Southend to get to the byline and win a corner.

And the home defence held firm, with Morias then seeing a cross from the right drop over the head of Nna Noukeu but evade Weston, who had been booked moments earlier for a challenge on Noor Husin.

Romford Recorder: Mo Sagaf of Dagenham & Redbridge and Cavaghn Miley of Southend battle for the ballMo Sagaf of Dagenham & Redbridge and Cavaghn Miley of Southend battle for the ball (Image: (C)TGS Photo tgsphoto.co.uk +44 1376 553468)

A firm tackle by Dean Rance then sent the ball towards Morias on halfway and he skipped clear of his marker to lead a 2-on-1 break, only to see McCallum take an extra touch and have his shot deflected behind for a corner, which Manny Onariase headed wide.

And when another strong run by Bridge was halted by Josh Hare's well-timed tackle in the box at the other end, Phipps headed the resulting corner clear.

Romford Recorder: Southend's Jack Bridge and Josh Hare of Dagenham & Redbridge battle for the ballSouthend's Jack Bridge and Josh Hare of Dagenham & Redbridge battle for the ball (Image: (C)TGS Photo tgsphoto.co.uk +44 1376 553468)

Weston then skipped clear of Hobson on halfway and saw a full-blooded drive pushed behind at the near post by Nna Noukeu on 41 minutes, before Southend's best chance of the half came in the third minute of stoppage time, when Jake Hyde had a clear shooting chance just inside the box, but fired straight at Justham.

Hyde made way for Jason Demetriou during the break, while Daggers sent Elliott Johnson on for Hare and moved Sam Ling from left-back to right-back.

Romford Recorder: Southend's Kacper Lopata clears as Matt Robinson of Dagenham & Redbridge closes inSouthend's Kacper Lopata clears as Matt Robinson of Dagenham & Redbridge closes in (Image: (C)TGS Photo tgsphoto.co.uk +44 1376 553468)

And Southend looked to pick up from where they had left off at the end of the first half, with patient play on the right leading to a dangerous cross from Hobson, which Phipps cleared with a superb diving header under pressure from Dackers and Bridge.

The visitors certainly had more possession in the opening stages of the second half, with Mooney seeing a shot blocked by Phipps on the edge of the box.

Romford Recorder: Sam Ling of Dagenham & Redbridge and Southend's Jake Hyde battle for the ballSam Ling of Dagenham & Redbridge and Southend's Jake Hyde battle for the ball (Image: (C)TGS Photo tgsphoto.co.uk +44 1376 553468)

And there was a brief scare when Justham collided with Phipps and spilled the ball, as Cavaghn Miley curled a cross into the box, but the long-serving Daggers keeper was able to gather safely at the second time of asking.

Justham was called into action again on the hour, producing a superb fingertip save to deny Husin's left-footed drive from just inside the box.

Romford Recorder: Dean Rance on the ball for Dagenham & Redbridge against SouthendDean Rance on the ball for Dagenham & Redbridge against Southend (Image: (C)TGS Photo tgsphoto.co.uk +44 1376 553468)

That close call awoke the 1,100 Southend fans behind the goal as they suddenly found their collective voice again and McMahon replaced Weston with Josh Walker, whose last appearance at Victoria Road had yielded a hat-trick in the 5-4 win over Barnet, before his red card at Dorking.
Robinson's left-footed drive was palmed behind by Nna Noukeu midway through the half, as Daggers looked for some insurance and Walker wriggled his way into the box on 73 minutes, but his shot lacked power to seriously test the visiting keeper.
The home side's slender lead was subsequently cancelled out 11 minutes from time when Demetriou's ball in from the left was stabbed inside the near post by fellow substitute Callum Powell.
And a downward header from Kacper Lopata was smothered by Justham moments later, when a free-kick was swung in from the left touchline.
Sagaf made way for Omar Mussa in the third change for the hosts, but Powell then headed over from a teasing Scott-Morriss cross with only two minutes of normal time remaining.

Dagenham & Redbridge: Justham, Hare (Johnson 46), Phipps, Onariase, Ling, Rance, Robinson, Sagaf (Mussa 82), Morias, McCallum, Weston (Walker 62).
Unused subs: Zouma, Topalloj.

Southend (3-4-1-2): Nna Noukeu, Scott-Morriss, Hobson, Kensdale, Bridge, Husin, Mooney (Powell 69), Dackers (Wreh 77), Cavaghn Miley, Lopata, Hyde (Demetriou 46).
Unused subs: Fonguck, Andeng-Ndi.

Attendance: 3,542 (including 1,100 Southend fans).