Oh so close to a very important and hard fought for point, but it was not to be for the Essex boys Saturday afternoon at the spanking new B2net Stadium.
As expected Blues boss Paul Sturrock decided to keep Graham Coughlan at centre-back to replace the suspended Bilel Mohsni.
More positive was the pairing upfront of new loanee from Doncaster Waide Fairhurst, and two-goal hero from the JPT win at Barnet, Matt Paterson, to replace the injured Barry Corr and Luggy's son Blair.
He did continue his preference for Louie Soares over Ryan Hall on the left.
After some early exchanges, both sides producing little action for their own keepers, though skipper Chris Barker had a tame effort from a Soures corner cleared off the line, it was the Spireites that took the lead on 26 minutes.
Blues midfielder Anthony Grant having deemed to have fouled Jack Lester in the box allowed Danny Whitaker to step up and hit home the penalty.
However, less than 10 minutes later the villan turned hero when our newly found goal scoring machine Anthony Grant popped up inside the area for a change and smashed the equaliser home into the bottom left hand corner.
The majority of the second half continued much in the vain of the opening 45, a shot here, a shot there but nothing much of consequence until a 20 yard volley from Soares hit the post and following up on the rebound the former Aldershot winger forced the home keeper into a good save.
Paterson was certainly looking more lively than Fairhurst, not surprising really as the Donny boy only met his new team mates on Thursday, and a surprise when Matty was substituted for the other loanee, Nathaniel Jarvis, on 78 minutes. Still more to prove Matt!
As the game entered the last ten minutes the home side, who grabbed two in a similar last time to rescue a point in a 5-5 draw with Crewe, stepped up the pressure but the Shrimpers looked as if they had done enough to grab a point, Barker and Coughlan putting their bodies on the line on more than one occassion, however it was not to be.
The match entered the third minute of an eventual five of stoppage time when a corner by Danny Whitaker was cleared by Coughlan, swept back in by Darek Niven, and there was Scott Boden to find the back of the net from close range.
Sad for the following Shrimpers faithful but lots to take from the game for Luggy as we await the visit of Crewe ourselves next Saturday at the Hall.
Southend player markings; Morris - 6, Gilbert - 5, Barker - 6, Cloughlan - 7, Clohessy - 7, Simpson - 7, Grant - 7, Timlin - 6, Soares - 8, Fairhurst - 6 (Hall 82 - 5), Paterson 6 (Jarvis 79 - 6).
Referee: Mr. L. Coote - 6.
As expected Blues boss Paul Sturrock decided to keep Graham Coughlan at centre-back to replace the suspended Bilel Mohsni.
More positive was the pairing upfront of new loanee from Doncaster Waide Fairhurst, and two-goal hero from the JPT win at Barnet, Matt Paterson, to replace the injured Barry Corr and Luggy's son Blair.
He did continue his preference for Louie Soares over Ryan Hall on the left.
After some early exchanges, both sides producing little action for their own keepers, though skipper Chris Barker had a tame effort from a Soures corner cleared off the line, it was the Spireites that took the lead on 26 minutes.
Blues midfielder Anthony Grant having deemed to have fouled Jack Lester in the box allowed Danny Whitaker to step up and hit home the penalty.
However, less than 10 minutes later the villan turned hero when our newly found goal scoring machine Anthony Grant popped up inside the area for a change and smashed the equaliser home into the bottom left hand corner.
The majority of the second half continued much in the vain of the opening 45, a shot here, a shot there but nothing much of consequence until a 20 yard volley from Soares hit the post and following up on the rebound the former Aldershot winger forced the home keeper into a good save.
Paterson was certainly looking more lively than Fairhurst, not surprising really as the Donny boy only met his new team mates on Thursday, and a surprise when Matty was substituted for the other loanee, Nathaniel Jarvis, on 78 minutes. Still more to prove Matt!
As the game entered the last ten minutes the home side, who grabbed two in a similar last time to rescue a point in a 5-5 draw with Crewe, stepped up the pressure but the Shrimpers looked as if they had done enough to grab a point, Barker and Coughlan putting their bodies on the line on more than one occassion, however it was not to be.
The match entered the third minute of an eventual five of stoppage time when a corner by Danny Whitaker was cleared by Coughlan, swept back in by Darek Niven, and there was Scott Boden to find the back of the net from close range.
Sad for the following Shrimpers faithful but lots to take from the game for Luggy as we await the visit of Crewe ourselves next Saturday at the Hall.
Southend player markings; Morris - 6, Gilbert - 5, Barker - 6, Cloughlan - 7, Clohessy - 7, Simpson - 7, Grant - 7, Timlin - 6, Soares - 8, Fairhurst - 6 (Hall 82 - 5), Paterson 6 (Jarvis 79 - 6).
Referee: Mr. L. Coote - 6.