Ebbsfleet held their own against Southend United on Saturday.

Darren McQueen gave Fleet the lead but the League 1 side levelled quickly.

Much of the match at Stonebridge Road was played in torrential rain but this was another good pre-season test for Ebbsfleet ahead of the National League kick-off on August 5.

With no Kenny Clark in the Fleet squad, Sam Magri partnered Dave Winfield at centre-half with Marvin McCoy at right-back.

Andy Drury and Dean Rance were also missing for the home side. Myles Weston lined up just behind strikers Danny Mills and Darren McQueen and in front of midfielders Luke Coulson, Jack Payne and Jack Powell.

Anton Ferdinand was the big name in a Southend team which also included former Wolves, Stoke and Burnley winger Michael Kightly.

The visitors started at quite a pace, Ryan Leonard seeing his powerful shot beaten out by Nathan Ashmore, who then rushed out to save at the feet of Theo Robinson.

Southend were zipping the ball about nicely but so were Fleet, who were more than holding their own against strong League 1 opposition.

Weston in particular looked a class act whether in central areas or wide on the right.

He floated a fine cross onto Mills' head - the big striker flagged offside - and then had a deflected strike held by Mark Oxley in the Southend goal.

Coulson then embarked on a fine driving run through midfield, beating several players until he was chopped down 25 yards out. But with his pass finding Weston on the wing, referee Dan Bonneywell played on and Weston delivered a cross which the visitors cleared.

Oxley then produced an excellent save, low to his left, after Coulson arrived late to connect with a McQueen cross from the left-hand byline.

The rain started lashing down at this point, sending supporters at the Swanscombe End running for cover and forcing the coaching staff to reach for their waterproofs.

It looked like Southend were about to take the lead when Leonard linked nicely with Jack Bridge but Magri threw himself in front of two Kightly shots from close-range to keep the scoresheet blank.

But Fleet finished the first half strongly, Powell playing in McQueen, whose low centre reached McCoy, via Mills, although the full-back couldn't finish.

Weston led a counter-attack on the hour and delivered an excellent deep cross for Mills, although no-one in a red shirt was waiting for his knockdown.

The home side survived a couple of scares in their box but took the lead on 65 minutes.

Harry Kyprianou was punished for a clumsy slip as McQueen sprinted through, rounded Oxley and finished confidently with his right foot.

But eight minutes later Southend were level. Connors found himself in a great position on the edge of the visitors' box but was caught dawdling in possession and the Blues broke away to equalise.

Magri couldn't get enough on his header, Ashmore was second to the loose ball and all substitute Amadou Ba had to do was roll the ball into an empty net.

Connors was almost made to pay for another moment of hesitation when Dru Yearwood rattled the crossbar.

A good move down the Fleet right ended with Coulson's shot from outside the box deflecting behind for a corner.

But the visitors almost nicked a late winner when Leonard's header from a Jason Demetriou cross flicked the top of the crossbar.

Ebbsfleet: Ashmore, McCoy, Connors, Winfield, Powell, Weston (Graham 79mins), McQueen (Shields 79mins), Payne, Mills, Magri, Coulson. Subs not used: Miles, Kedwell, McLean, Cook, Mambo, Miller-Neave.

Southend: Oxley, Hendrie (Kyprianou 46mins), White, Ferdinand, Matsuzaka (Demetriou 61mins), Kightly, Timlin (Yearwood 74mins), Fortune, Leonard, Bridge (Cox 61mins), Robinson (Ba 68mins). Subs not used: Smith, Cotton, Bwomono, McGlashan, Klass.

Attendance: 689.