HOT-SHOT Jack Marriott bagged his 10th goal of the season to stop Southend United seeing off Peterborough United tonight.

The Shrimpers had seemed set to get back to winning ways when the recalled Marc-Antoine Fortune fired them in front at Roots Hall.

But Marriott’s equaliser, 10 minutes into the second half, meant the game ended as a 1-1 draw.

Blues had gone into the game on the back of two defeats on the road but they broke the deadlock in the 10th minute, with Fortune on target for the first time this season.

The experienced Frenchman charged down an attempted clearance from Posh captain Jack Baldwin and neatly worked his way past the same defender before sending a low, right footed shot into the bottom left hand corner of the net.

Moments later, Simon Cox sent a low 20 yard shot straight at Posh goalkeeper Jonathan Bond before Stephen McLaughlin’s right-wing corner was headed over by a stretching John White at the near post. Peterborough soon hit back, with Baldwin heading Marcus Maddison’s left wing free-kick over the crossbar from close range before the Shrimpers replied with Cox just failing to reach an inviting right-wing cross from Dru Yearwood.

After the break, Posh pushed for an equaliser with Marriott heading a deep left-wing cross from Maddison wide of the target when well placed in the penalty area.

However, top goalscorer Marriott was not to be denied for long as he levelled the game in the 55th minute.

The former Luton Town forward reacted sharply when Gwion Edwards’ right-wing cross bounced back off Jason Demetriou before turning to fire home his 10th goal of the season.

The effort angered Blues, who claimed they should have been awarded a throw in the build-up to the goal, but things almost got worse for Phil Brown’s side when Maddison’s low shot was impressively saved low down to his right hand side by Mark Oxley.

The Shrimpers shot-stopper was at it again just minutes later when he superbly tipped a swerving Maddison shot wide of the right post.

The scares forced Blues boss Brown into action and he made a double substitution in the 68th minute with Nile Ranger and Theo Robinson both entering the action.

Robinson was immediately involved in the action as he curled a tame effort straight at Bond before Ranger also warmed the custodian’s gloves with an instinctive, left foot shot. Bond then parried away a Demetriou half-volley from Michael Timlin’s left-wing cross before the visiting custodian tipped over a powerful long range shot from Josh Wright.

With play quickly switching back to the other end of the field, Oxley then superbly kept out a header from substitute Callum Chettle to ensure the game ended all square.