Completly inept in the first period the Robins failed to capitalise, and so gave a changed Blues side in the second half the chance to hit back and score twice with only five minutes left on the clock.
There was drama even before the kick-off when referee Phillips had a late pitch inspection, being concerned with the shaded goal mouth in front of the South Stand, which had not completely thawed from the cold night. After discussions with both managers he gave the match the go ahead.
And if there weren't enough problems for Blues boss Steve Tilson to try and deal with, he then starts with one of the most bizarre team selections in his five years with the club.
You can understand Tilly wanting to give returning Sunderland loanee Jean-Yves M'Voto some gametime before Colchester, but arrange a reserve match, or a meaningless friendly behind closed doors.
Don't throw him into a 5-3-2 formation, my God Tilly was moaning we only had Adam Barrett in that position 24 hours before and like London buses three suddenly turn up at once, that the team hasn't used before and against a top six team that has one three on the bounce.
45 seconds later the folly of that decision was plain for all to see, a harmless cross from Kevin Amankwaah seemed to float over M'Voto's head and land at the feet of ex-Blue Billy Paytner, who in his current form was not going to miss from a few yards.
However, Francis Laurent had a great chance to equalise when a terrific long ball from Simon Francis found the exciting Frenchman, who chipped over his marker Scott Cuthbert, an unleashed a super shot that bounced off the top of the crossbar.
That was enough for Robins boss Danny Wilson and three Swindon players went to meet Laurent when he got the ball for the rest of the game. Respect, Francis.
Sadly for Blues that was about as good as it got in the first half as on 10 minutes the other Swindon striker in a rich vein of form, ex-Poole man Charlie Austin, said thanks very much and placed the already quiet Roots Hall crowd in a state of shock as he slotted home from close range after an attempted defensive clearance hit Simon Ferry and fell straight to his feet inside the box!
There was a strong suspicion of off-side but the flag stayed down and that's one for the highlights. Austin is bloody sharp though.
ColU loanees, defender Pat Baldwin and striker Scott Vernon, both handed their debuts for the dropped Matt Paterson and Damien Scannell, Jean-Francois Christophe was in for the suspended Alan McCormack, must have wondered what they had got themselves into. Especially after Vernon's 'Southend's playing style suits me' pre-match comments!
Swindon decided they had done enough and just shut up shot when a third goal against a team lacking in confidence and playing in a formation none of them understood would have finished the game off.
It was a slightly arrogant attitude from a side that hadn't quite reached that standard yet, and one that was to haunt them later on.
Tilly had to make chances for the second period and to the relief of the home support returned to 4-4-2, taking M'Voto off with an injured Anthony Grant, who had hardly trained since the Millwall defeat, replacing them with winger Scannell and striker Scott Spencer, who many feel should have started in both games last week, let aone come off the bench.
The Robins continued to play the way thay had finished the first 45 with forays into the Southend half where they found Blues keeper Steve Mildenhall in fine form, especially from a Danny Ward effort.
It was corners that gave Swindon their best chances, Lecsinal Jean-Francois heading just over the bar, while Scott Cuthbert went a touch better, and actually headed on to it!
The longer a third didn't happen murmurs of 'it only takes one' were starting to circulate around the ground like Chinese whispers. Southend were finding their self belief as pressure built up with increased inroads into the Wiltshire club's half.
Spencer, already impressing the home crowd with his intellegent running off the ball, headed just over from Scannell's left wing cross.
Vernon, losing control of the ball at a vital time when found by Mildenhall's long clearance.
Laurent, beating one man too many when an early cross may have found waiting Shrimpers in the box. He then struck a low shot well saved by Swindon shot stopper Phil Smith.
Then, just when you may have started to doubt the home side would ever score, they got the 'one' with five minutes left.
Smith pulled off a great save from a Francis free-kick on the edge of the area but there was Spencer to bundle the ball over the line.
With so many bodies falling over in the box all eyes went to the referee, who gave the goal, much to the annoyance of the odd Robin who felt an offence must have taken place somewhere.
So it was all set up, yet the ball remained in the central part of the pitch with little happening until the 89th minute, Scannell crossed one last time from the left, and there was Colchester legend, and new found favourite Shrimper, Patrick Baldwin, to rise above them all and head home the equaliser.
Cue wild celebrations, the Blue Voice singing 'two-nil and you rather let us off the hook', well something like that but this is a family site, and three minutes of injury time, which didn't ever threaten to change the scoreline, but gave the Shrimpers an unlikely at one stage but what could prove in the long run to be, a very vital point!
Southend player markings: Mildenhall - 7, Francis - 6, M'Voto - 4 (Scannell h-t - 7), Baldwin - 6, Barrett - 6, Malone - 5, Grant - 5 (Herd 71 - 5), Christophe - 5, Moussa - 5 (Spencer - 7), Laurent - 6, Vernon - 6.
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