So Blues boss Paul Sturrock finally changed his 'A' team with winger Ryan Hall, his 'crossing machine', replacing Kane Ferdinand, plenty of logic in that, especially at home in front of a footy for a fiver fulled 9,782, by far Southend's biggest of the season, and where the 105 from Morecambe must have felt very lonely, until they took the lead!
There were moments of action in a relatively quiet first half when the Shrimps showed why they are unbeaten away from the Globe Arena, the first saw Lewis Alessandra set up Garry Hunter who tried his luck from 20 yards but Shrimpers keeper Glenn Morris was in a good position to save easily.
At the other end Neil Harris got in the way of a Jean-Paul Kalala shot and volleyed it just wide before Peter Gilbert shot well over from 40 yards.
In between the Shrimpers chances on 33 minutes a home defence went missing, allowing an unmarked Andy Parrish to slip in at the back, (stop it), but he volleyed over.
Ryan Leonard then Hall both ended the half with decent efforts, the latter seeing the wideboy glide past two Shrimps and at least the away keeper Barry Roche had to dive low to make a good save.
The big crowd obviously hoped they would see more from the Essex boys after the break and with Luggy tinkering with the formation, and when Hall shot across the face of goal it certainly livened them up, however Morecambe continued to stay in the game, eventually breaking the deadlock.
Allesandra shot straight Morris from 20 yards but in the 53rd minute he was allowed to bully his way through the centre of Roots Hall before finding an old Blues nemisis in Phil Jevons, now 32 but still dangerous.
Jevons ran into the box, Morris came out to meet him, the former Huddersfield striker looked up, and from 12 yards slotted the ball past him. Classic.
It didn't take long for Southend to think they were level when a Leonard free-kick from far out was well saved again by an impressive Roche, Dickinson on hand to tap in, yet an assistant's flag was raised for offside.
Just after an hour the super subs appeared, Kalala and Leonard off, Anthony Grant and Bilel Mohsni on, and it didn't take long for Snoop Dog to introduce himself with a 20 yard effort that shot past the left hand post.
United had now gone up a gear as Hall's effort went over the bar, followed by Roche again showing his talents with a superb stop with his left boot from a Harris header!
Then after Timlin's left footed effort from 20 yardsfailed to find the target Morecambe found themselves a man down with 15 minutes left after Jeavons was sent off for raising both of his hands to Grant who did what he usually does and hit the floor, will the opposition ever learn!
With a man down the Shrimps fell back even deeper allowing Mohsni to volley a typical accurate Hall corner wide left.
And on 83 minutes they finally broke the stubborn Shrimps defence but matbe not in the way they expected.
Right back Sean Clohessy cut inside the box and shot, central midfielder Stewart Drummond stuck out a leg and sliced it past Roche for an unfortunate own goal, not that the Blues section of the big crowd cared very much, which was after all 99.9% of the attendance.
Southend had plenty of the ball as the clock counted down, which included six minutes off stoppage time, but when a Ryan Hall free-kick went high and wide with seconds left, the home faithful knew victory was beyond their side and settled for the points being shared and second place.
Bring on Matin Ling's Gulls next weekend for the chance to regain the top position away from the creepies.
Southend United player markings: Morris - 6, Clohessy - 7, Barker - 7, Phillips - 7, Kalala - 7 (Grant 63 - 7), Leonard - 6 (Mohsni - 7), Timlin - 8, Hall - 7, Harris - 5, Dickinson - 6.
Referee - Mr. G. Scott - 7.