A DRAMATIC last-gasp Lee Barnard penalty made it a happy sixth anniversary as manager of Southend United for Steve Tilson on Friday night.

Barnard cooly fired his 93rd-minute spot-kick into the bottom left-hand corner of the net to secure a 2-1 triumph over MK Dons at Roots Hall.

And that meant Tilson marked his latest landmark with the club’s first ever win over the visitors, at the seventh time of asking.

Dons had looked like extending their good run of results against the Shrimpers when Sam Baldock fired them into a first half lead.

But that was cancelled out by an Aaron Wilbraham own goal before Barnard struck late on to get Southend back to winning ways.

It was also Blues who first came close to opening the scoring following a speedy burst down the right hand side from Francis Laurent.

The Frenchman swapped passes with Barnard and delivered a low cross into the area which eventually fell for Franck Moussa.

But the Belgian’s well-struck shot from 12 yards was superbly tipped wide of the left post by Dons goalkeeper Willy Gueret.

The superb save was followed by the Dons taking the lead with 14 minutes on the clock.

Former Manchester United winger Luke Chadwick was the provider as he sped through the centre of the park before rolling the ball into the path of Baldock who just beat Adam Barrett to the ball and fired home a low, right foot finish from 14 yards.

Five minutes later a strong Luke Howell challenge on Jean-Francois Christophe sparked a heated melee which involved around five players from both teams, but referee Darren Deadman opted to show just one yellow card and that was for the original foul.

After the furore died down, Southend almost equalised when Christophe’s header from Johnny Herd’s left-wing cross was well claimed by Gueret.

But, in the 24th minute, the same players combined to bring Blues back level as Herd’s right wing free-kick was headed into his own net by Wilbraham from 10 yards while he was under pressure from Christophe who led the celebrations after the ball nestled in the bottom right hand corner of the net.

Only an offside flag then stopped Barnard putting the Shrimpers ahead but Dons then also almost went into the lead when Puncheon unleashed a skimming low shot from 25 yards which was parried to safety by Mildenhall.

With 31 minutes on the clock, Baldock headed Martin Devaney’s right wing cross just past the left post and, two minutes later, Mathias Doumbe’s header from Puncheon’s corner was cleared off the goal-line by Moussa.

Attention then switched towards the referee who somehow took his tally to seven yellow cards by issuing four bookings in the space of six minutes and that included one for Anthony Grant, who will now serve a two-match suspension.

When the game eventually got going again, Alan McCormack fired wide of the right post from 20 yards but, at the start of the second half, it was Dons on top with Aaron Wilbraham sending a low 20-yard shot straight at Mildenhall before Chadwick also did likewise.

Blues boss Steve Tilson tried to get his team going again by bringing on Damian Scannell for Dougie Freedman in the 65th minute.

And, just seconds after his arrival, Herd teed up McCormack to fire wide of the left post from 20 yards.

Laurent then sent a deflected drive wide of the left post before Barnard’s scuffed shot from the resulting Moussa corner was scrambled clear by Dean Lewington.

MK Dons replied with Darren Powell and then Wilbraham both going close with headers.

But, with literally seconds remaining, Blues grabbed all three points as the referee spotted a pull on Laurent’s shirt when he was attempting to reach Francis’ free-kick.

Barnard confidently stepped forward and fired the resulting penalty into the bottom left hand corner of the net with Gueret diving in the opposite direction to make it a night to remember for the Shrimpers and their manager.