MATCH REPORT: Southend 2 Fleetwood 2

After hitting the woodwork in the first half Bobby Grant popped up with a sensational left-footed strike in the 53rd minute to put Steven Pressley’s men in the driving seat at the Roots Hall stadium.

But Southend hit back against the run of play in the 72nd minute, McLaughlin appeared to be impeded in the build up as he conceded a corner and his namesake Stephen McLaughlin’s corner from the left squeezed in off the bald head of Adam Barrett.

It was one of three decisions Town boss Steven Pressley believes referee Lee Swabey got wrong as he failed to spot substitute David Ball’s shot being allegedly handled by Ben Coker in the box and waved away Wes Burns’ penalty claim when he appeared to be tripped just as he was about to pull the trigger with the game locked at 1-1.

Fleetwood had dominated the clash and it was a sucker punch when their lively striker Jack Payne found space outside the box and curled the ball past Maxwell with just eight minutes to go.

But Pressley’s men showed immense character and determination and never gave up as they searched for an equaliser.

It was fitting that the goal came from some fine team work by full-backs Amari’i Bell and McLaughlin as they continued to steam down their opposite flanks as the clock ticked towards full-time.

It looked as though Town were going to be denied a point but Bell took on the Southend defence on the left for one last time and whipped in a peach of the cross that was nodded in from close range by McLaughlin who had stormed into the box from the left.

Town should have taken all three points but that 90th minute McLaughlin header enabled them to bag a key point that moved them level on points with Shrewsbury and above the Shrews on goal difference.

Pressley’s men remain 19th in the table and go a point above Blackpool after they were beaten 1-0 by fellow strugglers Colchester.

Oldham’s 1-0 win over Walsall moves them a point above Town as ‘Pool slip back into the bottom four.

But Town’s one point cushion from the drop remains intact and they now prepare to face in-form Oldham at Highbury next Saturday.

Pressley stuck with the same starting 11 and bench that beat Peterborough 2-0 at Highbury on Tuesday.

And just like on Tuesday night Town and the on-fire Burns were straight in the action. The on-loan Bristol City forward danced down the left and pulled the ball back to Scougall but the Scot’s effort was defected wide.

Burns had two attempts in a matter of seconds in the fourth minute as Bentley dived to his right the parry the Welshman’s volley away and he curled the ball just wide of the right stick from the subsequent corner.

But it was Southend who had the best chance of the opening exchanges as Stephen McLaughin’s near post four-yard header beat Maxwell but was booted off the line by Antoni Sarcevic.

Maxwell pulled off a terrific right-leg save to divert Adam Thompson’s shot from the top of the box away from goal.

And just seconds later Town were denied by the woodwork as Burns’ pin-point cross from the right flew towards Bobby Grant at the back stick but his diving header crashed back off the left post to safety.

It was a fast-paced but scrappy opening half an hour with Fleetwood dominant but Southend showing flashes of pace.