Southend United suffered more agony on the road in a 3-1 defeat at Milton Keynes Dons, with the match resembling a tale of missed opportunities.
A goal in each half from Mark Carrington and a late strike from Andros Townsend would perhaps only tell one side of the story though, with the Blues having created enough chances, especially during the first half, to have got something out of the game.
Matt Paterson did score his first goal for the club at the end, but they were punished three times at the back for some slack marking and now stand just a single point off the dreaded bottom four of League One in 18th position.
Dean Lewington planted an early header into the gloves of Steve Mildenhall, after he reacted quickest to win the ball first from Peter Leven's free kick.
Southend then had a great chance to take the lead, with Damian Scannell delivering a cross from the right flank that got away from Alan McCormack, but fell perfectly into the path of Scott Vernon, only for his shot to be superbly turned around the post by Willy Gueret.
Even from the resultant corner, Vernon had another sight of goal as he attempted to get a shot away and saw the ball smothered by Gueret on his goal line.
But on 18 minutes it was MK Dons who were celebrating, after Jermaine Easter cut open the Southend defence with a square pass across the penalty area that went straight to an unmarked Carrington, who blasted the ball beyond Mildenhall.
Within two minutes though, Southend almost conjured up an equaliser, as Simon Francis arrowed a free kick at goal from the edge of the box that cannoned back off the right-hand post.
Southend were applying good amounts of pressure on the hosts, but James Tunnicliffe handed them a sharp remainder when he was afforded too much space to shoot from 15 yards out, with his strike taking a deflection as it sailed narrowly past the left-hand post.
A brilliant cross from Francis into the box was begging to be knocked in and it looked set to be headed in by Jean-Francois Christophe only for him to seemingly take his eye off the ball and miss connecting.
The match was an end-to-end affair, with Luke Chadwick's shot from the edge of the area looking to creep in at the far post past a stretching Mildenhall before Jean-Yves M'Voto stuck out a boot in front to avert the danger.
Gueret continued to be the main catalyst for Southend, with Vernon racing through and only denied an equaliser through a fantastic save by the MK Dons stopper, as he stuck out his right hand to palm away his shot.
The last opportunity of an entertaining half arrived at the feet of Easter, after Christophe carelessly gave up possession in midfield, the striker was able to drill a shot over the top from a tight angle inside the box.
Within just four minutes of the second half, MK Dons were able to double their lead, with Carrington again on target and again finding himself with too much time and space inside the box to rifle the ball past Mildenhall.
Townsend drilled a powerful 20 yard strike that Mildenhall did well to hold, with MK Dons looking comfortable and Southend appearing to have the wind taken from their sails since the second goal.
Scannell did fashion a chance in the final third, as he got away into the penalty area, but he could only blaze the ball straight over the top, shortly before manager Steve Tilson made a change up top by bringing on Paterson for Francis Laurent.
A stunning save from Mildenhall stopped MK Dons increasing their lead 15 minutes from time, with Tunnicliffe looking set to score when connecting with a free kick before the goalkeeper leapt to the floor to scoop the ball away.
Vernon should have made the game more interesting 11 minutes from time when Scannell provided the perfect cross on the ground for the on-loan striker in front of goal, but he miscued the ball and rolled it straight at Gueret.
Such a miss was raised in significance just moments later when Easter broke forward and despite Mildenhall impressively keeping out his shot, Townsend reacted first from the rebound to score into an empty net in the 80th minute.
Southend made their final substitutions by bringing on both Dougie Freedman and Franck Moussa and it was the latter who saw another chance go begging when he curled the ball just wide of the right-hand post.
It was another example of the lack of cutting edge that Southend need right now despite Paterson showing him the way when finally beating Gueret with a low finish in the 89th minute, an unfortunate case of too little too late.
Southend: Mildenhall, Francis, M'Voto, Baldwin, Barrett, Scannell, Christophe (Moussa 80), McCormack, Watt (Freedman 80), Laurent (Paterson 71), Vernon.
MK Dons: Gueret, Lewington, McCracken (Stirling 66), Easter (Gobern 83), Wilbraham, Carrington, Woodards (Howell 80), Tunnicliffe, Leven, Chadwick, Townsend.
