Southend hung on in with brave resistance at times, and no little skill at others, but thanks to a correctly awarded penalty awarded in the fourth minute of injury time, saw MK Dons, a team moulded in the image of their manager Paul Ince, leave Roots Hall with nothing.
Twelve players who have stayed together, played together, injured together, been yellow carded together, and the odd red one, finally got justice in a season that has seen them wondering if they would have a team to play in the following week, get paid at odd times, match officials consistantly crap, Macca refused entry to his local.
Well, not the last one, but it must have felt pretty bad at times.
Yet they hung in there, have been unbeaten in 11 games out of 17, winning six of them, and stand proudly in ninth place in League One before the Saturday fixtures, four points off the play-off zone.
This could be the greatest season of T & B's six years in charge.
The move of the game didn't produce a goal when Lee Barnard and Francis Laurent exchanged passes down the right wing and crossed for Macca's shot to be blocked by Devaney's superb sliding tackle with Franck Moussa's follow up athleticly tipped wide by Dons keeper Willy Gueret.
However, in an even start, the Franchise were playing some good football, and as Chadwick broke forward in the 14th minute, he passed to little Sam Baldock a few yards from goal to place the ball under Steve Mildenall.
At that stage many feared the worst against a Dons side who had won three out of their last four games and did seem to have an Indian sign over the home team, but as one Shrimper said in front of me: "they scored first last week", before letting in five!
However, this season anything seems possible and after referee Deadman had started giving out his nine yellow cards, the first a terrible two footed challenge by Luke Howell on the excellent Jean-Francois Christophe which could easily have been red, the Roots Hall faithful was brought to life by an equaliser, and an own goal at that.
Only ten minutes had passed from the opener when a Johnny Herd free-kick saw Christophe pull away from his marker, totally confuse the Dons defence, and expertly placed in the back of the net by MK forward Aaron Wilbraham (og) who must have wished he'd stayed up front.
The Franchise went up the other end to nearly grab the lead back as the Moose had to make his second headed clearance in two games when Francis Putcheon's shot was saved by Big Steve and the follow up header by Mathias Doumbe saw Franck do his stuff, again!
A mad six minute spell by the ref just before half time saw FIVE more yellows, all off which he could have let go, Barnard's was really silly while Grant's was his tenth before Christmas and a two match suspension to follow.
There was a strange atmosphere on pitch in the second half as both teams started at a friendly pace to make sure they kept eleven players on the pitch, the football suffered but it was certainly the Shrimpers who were showing the most initiative.
Laurent tried to get in the game more, was fouled, another yellow.
A brilliant pass by Freedman, set the good Lord free starting a good yard behing the MK defensive line, of course the flag went up as Barney went round the keeper to place the ball in the net, a very poor decision.
On 65 minutes off comes the ageless Dougie for Damien Scannell, a good move by Tilly, with Damien's pace maybe bringing a rash tackle and with all these yellows there must be a good chance of a red! Oh, there's the ninth, I think thet score is 5-4 to Milton Keynes on this one.
Macca charges through to follow up a first half bash over the bar with a shot well wide, poor bloke can't buy a goal at the moment.
Ten minutes to go and Mildy makes his now obligatory save with his feet from Chadwick.
Dons bring on subs of the quality of Jermaine Easter and Jemal Johnsone, how the other half live, we'll keep our lot playing until someone collapses on the field of play!
I feel sorry for the Moose, he's not looked good for weeks and in any larger squad would have had a break by now, Franck your going to have do a Grant, five yellows in six games, impressive, to be able to put your feet up.
Supporters get up to leave, a draw not being the worst result, then after Mr. Deadman had missed a clear handball in the box and the match drifts into stoppage time, he certainly sees a clear tug of the shirt on Christophe from a Herd free-kick.
Up steps Lee Barnard, who with the crowd holding their breath, steps up, does a little shimmy, and sends Gueret in the opposite direction from the spot.
Barney's second last minute winner at the Hall in a row following Gillingham, I think that was the 93rd minute, a nice habit to get into.
Yet another mention for Captain Adam, a rock as ever, kept out everything the Dons threw at him while getting the maximum effort from his teammates.
Oh yes, a win against the Dons at last, the Blues supporters stand and applaud as one as the players return to the field to take their well deserved plaudits.
The sight of Big Steve Mildenhall hugging an exausted Anthony Grant at the end will stick with me for a long time!
I've never seen Tilly so happy, even after beating Manchester United or even winning this bloody league, the guy was celebrating. Happy sixth birthday Tills.
What warriors!
Southend Player Markings: Mildenhall - 7, Grant - 7, Francis - 7, Barrett - 9, Herd - 7, Laurent - 8, Christophe - 7, McCormack - 7, Moussa - 6, Freedman - 6 (Scannell - 6), Barnard - 7.
| Coca-Cola League One, Friday, 20th November 2009 @ 19:45; Roots Hall |
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| |  |  |  | | Wilbraham 24 (og)
Barnard 90 (pen)
| | Baldock 14
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| | Goal Attempts | | | 6 | On Target | 7 | | 3 | Off Target | 3 | | Hit Woodwork | | | 5 | Offsides | 3 | | 6 | Corners | 8 | | 15 | Fouls | 17 |
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| Referee | | D Deadman, Cambridgeshire - 5 | | Attendance | | 6957 |
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| Southend Utd. Cards | | Christophe | 35 | unsporting behaviour | | Grant | 38 | unsporting behaviour | | Barnard | 40 | dissent | | Barrett | 43 | unsporting behaviour | | Milton Keynes Cards | | Howell | 19 | unsporting behaviour | | Chadwick | 22 | unsporting behaviour | | Baldock | 41 | dissent | | McCracken | 54 | unsporting behaviour | | Puncheon | 68 | unsporting behaviour |
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LIVE SCORES
