SOUTHEND United’s frustrating recent record against Swindon Town continued with a 1-1 draw against the Robins at Roots Hall tonight.

The Shrimpers seemed set for a third win in a row when Will Atkinson fired Phil Brown’s side in front on his 150th appearance for the club.

But Jonathan Obika netted an equaliser 17 minutes from time to make it nine games without defeat for Swindon against Southend.

Blues – who have now gone seven league games without defeat - opened the scoring after just 12 minutes with Atkinson on target for the third time in two games.

The midfielder was picked out by Anthony Wordsworth’s through ball and stabbed a low, left footed shot into the bottom left hand corner of the net from close range.

Swindon hit back with Sean Murray having a 25 yard shot parried to safety by Southend goalkeeper Mark Oxley before Blues got back on top with Wordsworth having a low effort from the edge of the penalty area smothered by Robins goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux.

Moments later, Blues full-back Jason Demetriou also saw a low effort kept out by Vigouroux before Wordsworth sent a 20 yard free-kick over the crossbar in the closing action of the first half.

But, after the break, Swindon stepped things up and wasted a golden opportunity to draw back level in the 57th minute when an unmarked Nathan Delfouneso somehow headed wide of the right post from six yards.

Ten minutes later, the Robins threatened again with Oxley doing superbly well to keep out Johnny Goddard’s low shot with his legs before Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill flashed a left wing cross across the face of the six yard box.

However, the visitors were not to be denied for long and levelled the scores in the 73rd minute, with Obika on target.

The former Tottenham Hotspur trainee collected the ball following a passing move, which was started by goalkeeper Vigouroux whose distribution just evaded the outstretched boot of Nile Ranger.

That allowed Goddard to charge down the centre of the field and, with Adam Thompson caught up field, he rolled a pass into the path of Obika whose deflected left footed shot nestled in the bottom left hand corner of the net.

Immediately after the equalising effort, Ranger saw an effort deflected wide of the right post before he was replaced in attack – with 77 minutes on the clock – by Marc-Antoine Fortune.

Following the change, the Shrimpers started to threaten with Stephen McLaughlin having a deflected left foot pushed wide of the left post by Vigouroux who then did well to push away Wordsworth’s header from Demetriou’s right wing corner.

The visiting shot-stopper then also did well to deny Fortune and Wordsworth in quick succession to ensure the game ended all square.