Southend United battled back from two goals down to earn a point at home to Carlisle United, but were left hindered by the controversial sending off of Adam Barrett.
The Blues had made a nightmare start to proceedings and found themselves trailing by two goals inside the opening 13 minutes before Franck Moussa and Barrett got the team back on level terms with two strikes in the space of four minutes.
Having shown the fight needed to get back into the match, Southend looked capable of going on to get the three points, only to have to play out the final 20 minutes with 10 men after Barrett was dismissed for picking up two yellow cards.
Yet the slow start began inside just six minutes when Evan Horwood was given too much space down the left flank to deliver a cross which was headed into the net by Scott Dobie with pinpoint accuracy.
Damian Scannell tried to get the Blues back into the match when drilling a low shot goalwards which needed Adam Collin to push it around the post, but Carlisle's lightening start to proceedings continued in the 13th minute.
Again it was Horwood who was the provider, as he delivered a cross into the box which was left by Jason Price and powered into the net from close range by the head of Ben Marshall.
Roots Hall was left rocking and after Horwood tried his own luck with a fierce 30 yard strike which sailed narrowly over the top, Southend then had Steve Mildenhall to thank for making a vital block to deny Marshall's strike before Price headed the rebound into his gloves.
The Blues needed some inspiration to get back into the match and that arrived in the 25th minute via the feet of Moussa, as he turned his way inside the box before arrowing a low shot into the bottom corner of the net.
It was just the impetus Southend required and they continued to apply the pressure as Moussa struck the post from the corner before another set piece drew an equaliser in the 28th minute.
Simon Francis swung the ball over from the left and Barrett arrived on cue to turn it home from in front of goal.
This left Carlisle rattled for a period, as the Blues continued to up the tempo in their favour, with a dangerous cross from Scannell needing to be headed up and over.
It was game on for the second half and Matt Paterson had a great chance to turn the game on its head at the start when collecting Alan McCormack's pass inside the box and blazing narrowly over the top of the crossbar.
At the other end, Mildenhall then made a superb save from Peter Murphy to stretch out an arm push his shot away.
Southend's hopes of getting more than a point though took a blow in the 68th minute, after Barrett was shown a second booking, as, having made an attempt to kick the ball inside the box, he was adjudged to have kicked a Carlisle player on the floor in the incident.
It looked a poor decision, but Barrett was shown his marching orders and Southend needed an instant reshuffle at the back, with Osei Sankofa coming on to replace Paterson.
Chances were now scarce for either side, despite Scannell's 20 yard effort needing an excellent save from Collin to keep it out.
A last minute free kick saw Francis rifle the ball just past the right-hand post, as the Blues secured a point and will now look for a better return in Tuesday night's home clash against Walsall.
Southend: Mildenhall, Francis, Baldwin, Barrett, Herd, Scannell, Grant, McCormack, Moussa, Paterson (Sankofa 71), Vernon.
Carlisle: Collin, Horwood, Murphy, Dobie (Madine 75), Robson, Thirlwell, Harte, Marshall, Keogh, Clayton, Price (Bridge-Wilkinson 89).
