A penalty in the sixth minute of injury time saw Henley Hawks lost 9-8 at home to Southend in National 2.

Andy Frost did the damage from 45 metres after missing two earlier attempts.

Hawks began brightly with wing Felise Ah-Ling being held up just short of the corner flag.

Southend squandered a good chance to score from an overlap, but took the lead with a Frost penalty after 14 minutes.

Henley lost a scrum against the head a few metres from the line, but wing Danny Wells was soon able to equalise with a penalty.

Hawks looked set to score a spectacular try when full back Nathan Lambden set up Ah-Ling, but he was recalled for a very marginal forward pass.

Henley increased the pressure after the break, with lock James Winterbottom unlucky to be brought down a metre from the line.

Southend full back Chris Green was sin-binned for obstruction as Hawks were held up on the line.

But the hosts took advantage of their extra man with lock Rob Hurrell breaking from a maul to score.

Henley were unable to build on their lead and Frost's close-range penalty made it 8-6.

Ah-Ling had another chance on the right as the match ebbed and flowed, while Southend fly half Ben McKeith went wide with a drop-goal.

Hawks leaked penalties late on and were ultimately punished by Frost.