GEORGE Cooper is beginning to re-find the confidence that saw him establish a first-team spot as a 17-year-old, says Crewe Alexandra boss Steve Davis.

Cooper, now 19, put the Railwaymen ahead four minutes from time on Tuesday, only for Jack Payne to level from the spot for Southend.

It leaves the Alex eight points from safety heading into Saturday’s clash with League One leaders Burton Albion, but Davis took positives from Cooper’s contribution.

“We know George is capable of scoring free-kicks like that,” said Davis. “He did it against Coventry in his early days in the team and slowly he is getting that confidence back.

“He was good for us and dangerous. It was a great goal and that quality we needed to break the deadlock.”

Crewe have taken one point from their last three games, but Davis felt they were unlucky against play-off hopefuls Southend.

“I thought we were terrific and deserved to win,” he added. “I cannot fault the effort of the players and the way we approached it.

“They can be proud of their performance because we have gone head to head with a team who are looking to get into the top six and we were the better team.

“That is all you can ask from them and the penalty incident aside at the end, I thought we were excellent.

“We have gone away from home, to a tough place and battled away and have shown the ability we have.

“We were on top without creating too many clear cut chances but we did have a couple of good chances in the first half and Ben (Nugent) should have scored.”

Ben Garratt saved from a Tyrone Barnett penalty in the first half, but Nugent’s foul on Jamar Loza gave Payne the chance to grab a share of the points in added time.

“Ben had studied his penalties and knew he often went for power,” said Davis.“He didn’t commit himself early and has saved it. It was an excellent save and he held onto it as well.

“Ben was good and he came for crosses and took some pressure off us because they are a big side.”

The Crewe Alex boss felt aggrieved at the first penalty decision, but admitted Nugent’s foul cost his side late on.

“We thought they were offside in the first phase but the play was allowed to continue and it resulted in a penalty,” he added. “If I’ve got that wrong then I will apologise to the officials but we felt, from where we were that it was offside.

“I thought we would go on and win the game because they had not got in behind us and never really troubled us.

“Therefore the only real disappointment on the night was the decision by Ben to barge their lad in the back.

“I don’t know what he was doing there and I have not discussed with him. He knew and that mistake has cost us.”