MICHAEL Kightly and Mark Oxley were both shown late red cards as Southend United slumped to a 2-1 defeat against Charlton Athletic at Roots Hall this afternoon.

Shrimpers striker Theo Robinson cancelled out Lyle Taylor’s opener for the Addicks before the visitors bagged all three points with Krystian Bielik netting an 87th minute winner.

But the game was overshadowed by a stoppage time brawl which saw both Kightly and Oxley dismissed by referee Bree Huxtable along with the Addicks’ Tariqe Fosu.

Before the late drama unfolded, the Addicks had strong shouts for a penalty waved away when Lewis Page went to ground while under pressure from Stephen McLaughlin but referee Huxtable opted to wave play on.

After surviving the scare, the Shrimpers soon replied with Jason Demetriou curling a 20 yard shot inches wide of the left post after a neatly constructed counter attack from Chris Powell’s side.

However, with play soon switching back to the other end of the field, Patrick Bauer headed straight at Blues goalkeeper Oxley from close range before Nicky Ajose volleyed a decent opportunity wide of the left post from 12 yards.

But, with 57 minutes on the clock, Charlton made the breakthrough with former Concord Rangers striker Lyle Taylor on target.

The forward – who had been wanted by Blues boss Powell in the summer – fired home from close range after Karlan Grant had fought his way past Michael Turner on the right wing before delivering a pin-point.

Blues felt Turner had been fouled by Grant but reacted strongly to going behind as they drew back level within three minutes following a fine move down the left-hand side.

That resulted in Kightly playing in Ben Coker whose low cross seemed to go through the hands of goalkeeper Dillon Phillips before being converted at the far post by Theo Robinson.

Moments later, boss Powell brought Harry Bunn on for his Blues debut in place of Stephen McLaughlin but it was Charlton who threatened next with Grant having an effort ruled out for offside.

In a bid to add an extra attacking dimension, Shrimpers boss Powell introduced Simon Cox and Shawn McCoulsky in place of Robinson and Tom Hopper.

But three minutes from time it was the Addicks who sealed all three points when Josh Cullen’s right wing corner was headed home by Bielik before the game controversially exploded into life in the dying seconds with both teams losing their cool in the far corner of the pitch.

That resulted in Kightly, Oxley and Fosu all being red carded in an explosive ending to the contest.