Ten-man Bolton Wanderers were held to a home draw by Shrewsbury Town as they missed a chance to climb off the bottom of the League One table.
Thibaud Verlinden's 34th-minute strike in the penultimate game of his loan spell from Stoke looked as if it might lift Keith Hill's side from the foot of the division at Southend's expense.
But Daniel Udoh scored his second goal of the season to equalise after 53 minutes.
Jason Lowe's dismissal for a two-footed lunge on Shrewsbury skipper Oliver Norburn five minutes later then tipped the contest further in Town's favour.
But the hopes of a winning return to Horwich for Shrewsbury manager Sam Ricketts, the former Wanderers defender, were dashed by the home side's late rearguard action.
Bolton, who remain 14 points from safety, were indebted to Remi Matthews' double save to deny Josh Laurent and Shaun Whalley, who had an injury-time effort disallowed for offside.
Bolton, who lost skipper Liam Bridcutt to an early injury, deservedly went in front with Verlinden's third goal of the campaign before Udoh punished sloppy defence to level for the visitors.
Report supplied by PA Media
