Woking conceded a stoppage-time equaliser as they drew 1-1 at home to Southend United in the National League.

Josh Kelly’s 68th-minute goal gave the Cards the lead, but Jack Bridge’s late leveller meant the points were shared in front of a crowd of 2,708 at the Laithwaite Community Stadium.

The visitors had the first attempt at goal of the evening in the fifth minute when Sam Austin hit a low right-foot shot from the edge of the area straight at Woking keeper Will Jaaskelainen, who comfortably held Austin’s effort.

The Shrimpers went close again on 12 minutes when Austin did well down the left and his cross picked out Slavi Spasov, whose header across goal went wide of the left-hand post.

Southend had another decent chance in the 25th minute when Gus Scott-Morriss whipped in a good cross from the right which picked out Keenan Appiah-Forson, who headed over the bar under pressure.

The Cards created their first clear-cut chance of the evening on the half-hour mark when Tariq Hinds’ cross in from the left eventually dropped to Kelly, who spun sharply and hit a left-foot shot which was well deflected behind for a corner by Shrimpers keeper Nick Hayes.

Woking went close again six minutes later when Caleb Richards whipped in a lovely outswinging cross from the left which found Aaron Drewe, whose glancing header went wide of the far right-hand post.

Cards boss Neal Ardley had to make his first change of the evening on 41 minutes when Ashley Boatswain replaced Olly Sanderson, who had been involved in a nasty clash of heads with team-mate Chin Okoli.

Southend nearly took the led three minutes later when Scott-Morriss whipped in another superb cross from the right which found Spasov at the back post, whose header across goal went wide of the right-hand post.

The Cards had a good chance in first-half stoppage time when Boatswain hit a powerful effort goalwards which was well held by Hayes.

Woking had the first attempt at goal of the second half in the 52nd minute when Hinds cuts inside from the left onto his right foot and fired an effort goalwards which was well parried away by Hayes.

Ardley made his second substitution of the evening on 63 minutes, with Jamie Andrews replacing Timmy Akinola.

The Cards took the lead five minutes later when Kelly finished a free-flowing move. Hinds played a neat pass round the corner to Jack Turner, who drove forward and played the ball out to Drewe on the right. Drewe’s low ball across the box found Kelly, whose initial attempt was saved by Hayes before Kelly rolled his follow-up effort over the line from close range.

Ardley made his third change of the evening in the 81st minute, with Harry Beautyman replacing Turner.

The Shrimpers nearly found a leveller in the 90th minute when Leon Parillon got the ball on the edge of the box and hit a curling right-foot shot goalwards which was well parried behind for a corner by Jaaskelainen.

Five minutes of added time were indicated, and Woking nearly doubled their advantage in the third minute of stoppage time when Kelly turned sharply in the box and his shot hit the outside of the left-hand post.

The Shrimpers equalised a minute later when Bridge got the ball just outside the box and cut inside onto his right foot before curling a sublime finish into the top right-hand corner of the net.

The Cards nearly regained the lead on 95 minutes when Jake Forster-Caskey’s free kick rattled the crossbar, but honours finished even.

Next up for Woking is a trip to Tamworth in the National League on Saturday, November 8 (3pm kick-off).