A bullet header by Dougie should have grabbed the points for the Blues
Looking back on the match a point to both sides might be a fair result, however when your 2-1 up against ten men going into stoppage time, you have every reason to believe you are going home with the win.
This was not a game of the highest quality, the passing poor with few clear chances on either side.
The first half certainly belonged to the home side who looked more up for the match while Southend wilted in the hot August sunshine. Centre back Smith clearing up everything at the back while setting up another Walsall attack.
The tactics of Grant, Christophe, McCormack and Moussa powering their way through midfield, which had worked so well in the first two games, just didn't happen here.
A mixture of the first three having a poor game, Macca just couldn't seem to find a Blue shirt, and the Saddlers tactics of swamping the central part of the pitch, they had done their homework, never gave them a chance to settle. Only the Moose out wide found the time and space to show off his now consistent skills.
The Blues back four were being hassled in a way not seen outside the last half hour against Huddersfield, with Heath looking vulnerable and Barrett still not looking fully fit.
The two full backs were not being allowed to show any attacking intent, only Francis escaping now and again to help out the hard running of Barnard, while Walker, making little impact after collapsing in a heap after only 8 minutes, did get free on a couple of occasions only to shoot straight at Clayton Ince in the Walsall goal.
Still, even though the Saddlers had most of the ball keeper Steve Mildenhall had little to do until a 13th minute free-kick taken by Darryl Westlake was headed home by Steve Jones with the Southend back four standing around like statues. Mildenhall doing his usual looking over his shoulder act as the ball went over him, this time landing in the back of the net!
With no substitutions made by either side the first quarter of the second half showed little change until a crazy five minute spell just after the hour mark changed the whole course of the match.
The Saddlers midfielder Dwayne Mattis, rightly booked for a poor challenge on Grant in the first period, followed up with a similar tackle on McCormack and received a second yellow and his marching orders.
Tilly now made his move, bringing on Sawyer for Christophe, (wrongly, should have been Grant), and Freedman for Walker, (correctly). There was a case for Betsy now with gaps appearing on the wing but the Blues boss showed caution and, arguably, paid for it later.
Then, on 66 minutes, an amazing error by Ince. The home keeper was in the process of making a simple clearance when he threw the ball directly at the good Lord who, after giving thanks, slid the ball underneath the advancing Ince for his fourth goal in the first three games.
The Blues were now in complete control finding space all over the pitch, Sawyer giving the midfield the energy it was lacking, while the Moose was particularly enjoying himself.
And after a rare passing move of the usual Shrimper standard, it was the Belgian born boy who placed the perfect cross from the left onto the head of Dougie Freedman, after a flick on from Barnard, to bullet the ball home into the bottom left hand corner with only 10 minutes left on the clock.
That should have been that. The home crowd started to leave.
Betsy now came for Grant, who had earlier made a mess of a cross when placed clear on the right with several Blues charging into the box.
Macca nearly worked his way clean through with his one trademark run into the box over the whole game, a superb last ditch block making sure his shot went wide.
Four minutes of stoppage time was announced.
The Saddlers defence was all over the place but, as the away side attacked down the right with two very hungry strikers waiting to pounce, they decided to play keep ball. Wrong.
The ball was lost, Francis was out of position, Walsall got the ball down the other end of the pitch quickly, Sam Parkin tried his luck, bursting into the penalty area where he was caught by Sawyer.
Referee Moss, who had a good game, points to the spot.
Parkin dusted himself down and sent Mildenhall the wrong way.
Rather like last week, the Blues faithful felt two points had been allowed to slip.
Southend United marks: Mildenhall - 6, Francis - 7, White - 6, Heath - 6, Barrett - 6, Grant - 5 (Betsy - 6), Christophe - 6 (Sawyer - 7), McCormack -6, Moussa - 8, Barnard - 7, Walker - 5 (Freedman - 7).
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(Photo supplied by Wikipedia)