Southend United conceded twice in the final four minutes to be held to a 2-2 draw at Plymouth Argyle this afternoon.

Blues seemed to be cruising back to the top of the League Two table when they raced in to a 2-0 lead, thanks to goals from Michael Timlin and David Martin.

But Argyle hit back late on to claim a dramatic share of the spoils.

Southend were initially in no danger at Home Park though and their first goal came after just 59 seconds in fortuitous circumstances with Timlin working his way on to the score-sheet for the fourth time this season.

The midfielder charged in to the box following a poor back-pass from Luke Young and was able to block an attempted clearance from Argyle goalkeeper Jake Cole, resulting in the ball rolling in to the back of an unguarded net.

Plymouth hit back with Paul Wotton firing a long range free-kick wide of the right post and, in the 17th minute, the midfielder was again off target from a similar distance with a well struck volley.

In reply, Peter Gilbert then stabbed a left wing cross from Liam Dickinson wide of the left post against his former side before Bilel Mohsni volleyed past the opposite post from 30 yards.

Having survived the scares, Plymouth responded with their first effort of the afternoon on target as Juvhel Tsoumou curled a free-kick straight at Blues goalkeeper Glenn Morris from the edge of the penalty area.

But Southend immediately doubled their lead, with 34 minutes on the clock, from their seventh corner of the game.

The left wing flag kick was delivered by Hall and found Dickinson at the back post.

His low shot then appeared to be dragging wide of the left post before Martin diverted the ball in to the roof of the net from six yards.

Blues remained on top and, just before the break, Hall saw his low shot eventually smothered by Cole.

However, at the start of the second period, it was Plymouth on top with Ashley Hemmings unleashing a well struck effort from 20 yards which Morris parried to safety in the difficult wet conditions.

Nick Chadwick then had a close range header kept out by Morris low down to his left hand side before play switched back to the other end of the field with Hall stabbing a right wing cross from Timlin wide of the right post.

Plymouth attempted to get back in to the game by making a trio of substitutions in quick succession and, in the 73rd minute, they again forced Morris in to action as the keeper kept out a well struck shot from Wotton.

Having weathered a spell of Pilgrims pressure, Southend soon responded with Mohsni having a six yard header from a Timlin cross well saved by Cole.

But Plymouth soon got back in to the game in the 86th minute when Chadwick's 20 yard shot when parried in to the back of the net by Morris.

Things were soon to get even worse for Blues as they remarkably conceded an equaliser just two minutes later when substitute Alex MacDonald reacted quickest to a Joe Lennox shot which bounced back off the left post.

The strike stunned Southend and their mood was made worse in the dying seconds when Mohsni appeared to be brought down by Argyle keeper Cole, but referee Christopher Sarginson waved away their protests for a penalty.