A TALE of two contrasting penalties saw Southend United have to settle for a 1-1 draw at MK Dons tonight.

Shrimpers midfielder Josh Wright saw his early spot-kick saved by Dons goalkeeper Lee Nicholls but the hosts’ Kieran Agard had no such difficulties in the second half.

The striker’s clinical effort cancelled out Stephen McLaughlin’s opener for Blues and ensured a game the visitors dominated for large spells ended all-square.

Southend - who struck the woodwork twice late on - missed their penalty after just five minutes when referee Tim Robinson pointed to the spot after adjudging Scott Wootton to have pulled the shirt of Michael Turner.

However, Wright was unable to make the most of the opportunity as his effort was saved by Nicholls low down to his right hand side.

Wright had also missed from the spot at Stadium MK when lining up for Gillingham in August and his latest failed attempt was the Shrimpers’ fourth miss from their last five penalties.

In a bid to overcome the early disappointment, Marc-Antoine Fortune then saw an effort blocked.

But the Shrimpers were finally able to make the breakthrough in the 27th minute of the match, with McLaughlin on target for the third time this season.

The recalled Irishman was teed up by Fortune, who had been sent free down the left hand side by Kightly and unleashed a powerful 25 yard shot which Nicholls could only parry into the top right hand corner of the net.

However, Nicholls was able to make amends for the slight mistake on the stroke of half-time when he impressively blocked McLaughlin’s well struck shot when the winger seemed set to score his second goal of the night.

At the start of the second half, the Dons hit back with Chuks Aneke heading over the crossbar from eight yards.

But, with 66 minutes on the clock, the hosts came even closer to equalising when Alex Gilbey’s effort from the edge of the penalty area deflected off of Shrimpers skipper Anton Ferdinand and flew just inches wide of the left post.

A relieved Blues boss Phil Brown responded by making an enforced change in the 70th minute as Fortune limped off to be replaced by Amadou Ba for his League debut.

But, six minutes later, Dons were back level with Agard firing home from the penalty spot.

The penalty was awarded after Blues goalkeeper Mark Oxley had clattered into Aneke after the striker had got his shot away.

And Agard gleefully accepted the opportunity – firing his effort down the centre of the goal to ensure the game ended in a draw despite a spell of late Shrimpers pressure which saw both Simon Cox and Turner send close range headers against the woodwork.