Starting XI: fon Williams, Lynch, Swailes, Assoumani, Williams, Poole, Turnbull, Tansey, Conlon, Donnelly, Griffin. Subs: Vincent, Partridge, Pilkington, Halls, Rowe, Fisher, Ormson.

Stockport County kicked off the 2010/11 campaign where they finished their travels last season, at Roots Hall home of Southend United, wearing their brand new 'all white' 3rd choice kit.

The game saw four players making their Football League debuts for the Hatters. Defenders Mark Lynch, Mansour Assoumani and Robbie Williams along with striker Barry Conlon, all wearing County colours for the first time.

County took the kick off with George Donnelly kicking to David Poole to start the game, as the team lined up with a 4,4,1,1 formation, with Donnelly becoming the main striker and Conlon playing a little deeper.

Robbie Williams almost gifted the home team a chance of a strike on goal, although he recovered well to deny Anthony Grant a strike on goal.

Scott Spencer then delivered a fine ball which was deflected away for a corner, from the resulting kick Danny Swailes almost scored an own goal, although from the second corner he headed well clear to Donnelly on half way.

In the tenth minute Donnelly raced clear to create a chance for himself although his shot was comfortable for home keeper Glen Morris, within a minute Griffin found himself free on the left and delivered a fine ball which was turned away well for County's first corner with the kick from Tansey far too deep for Assoumani at the far post.

Greg Tansey's slip in midfield allowed the home team to feed Scott Spencer in behind Williams to create another chance for Barry Corr, Tansey though was very quick to redeem himself by getting back to clear.

The fact that both teams had so many new faces, with the 'shrimpers' fielding nine new players, the game had seen several mistakes which was understandable in the circumstances.

The home team collected the first booking of the game, after Easton's foul on Conlon Mark Phillips found himself in referee Iain Williamson's book for kicking the ball away to stop a quick County free kick. From the kick Donnelly, looking suspiciously offside, shot wide with striking partner Conlon in acres of space to his right. Robbie Williams then found himself in the referee's notebook for a similar offence to Phillips as the official was seen to be consistent in his decisions.

As the half drew to a close, David Poole was caught in the back in a hefty challenge which caused the first hold up of the game although the fourth official then held up three minutes 'injury time' in which the home time had a free kick just passed the post and a chip from Spencer just clear the bar before the whistle blew with the scores level.

An unchanged County team took to the field in a second half that began with both sides giving away cheap free kicks, before Soares broke free to create the first chance of the half, with fon Williams very quickly off his line to smother. George Donnelly then became the third player to be booked for dissent, but within a minute almost opened the scoring with a great chip towards the far post which keeper Morris somehow tipped out for a corner.

The home side appeared to be denied a penalty as a shot from Chris Barker struck Danny Swailes arm in the box as the game started to open up with both sides creating openings, Conlon then became the third County player to be booked as the referee decided that he had committed one foul to many, with Captain Swailes following him within a couple of minutes.

Robbie Williams hit two free kicks in succession just over the bar as County started to push forward. Southend then made two substitutions with Blair Sturrock and Sofiene Zaaboub replacing Scott Spencer and Josh Simpson in the 72nd minute.

Poole and Turnbull then played a quick one two which then saw Turnbull put in a good cross which Morris held gratefully under pressure from Donnelly. The home team then missed the best chance of the game so far as Corr found himself free from a corner kick only to scuff the ball wide with the goal at his mercy. Danny Rowe and James Vincent were then brought into the fray replacing Conlon and Williams in the 81st minute.

From a quick free kick on the left hand side in the 83rd minute Danny Rowe make an instant mark on the game as his cross rebounded to Donnelly who thrashed the ball passed Morris in front of the travelling band of almost 400, who celebrated madly, as the players awaited the restart Greg Tansey appeared to be spat at by Zaaboub who somehow stayed on the field as the referee issued a yellow card to Barry Corr. Following the ensuing melee, Southend boss Paul Sturrock was banished to the stand for his part.

The fourth official announces six minutes of 'additional' time with the home team throwing everything at the County defence, and with Donnelly by now playing the lone striker role, the pressure told as poor marking from a corner left Blair Sturrock a simple tap in for the home side to grab an equaliser in the fourth minute of that time. 

County's 'man of the match' Mark Lynch.

Full Time 1 - 1 (SUFC - Sturrock 94mins, SCFC - Donnelly 83 mins)

Attendance 5589  (County fans 372)