Tamás Priskin and Lee Martin (pen) netted as the Blues' second string drew 2-2 with Southend at Playford Road on Wednesday afternoon.
Town started the game brightly and in the first 15 minutes, Lee Martin and Reggie Lambe both saw shots saved, while Tamás Priskin also went close.
On 21 the Hungarian broke the deadlock when he headed home a Martin cross.
After the goal, Southend came more into it and in the 29th minute, a Bruce slip let in Scott Spencer, who equalised.
The Shrimpers went in front in the 38th minute when Jamie Dennis's low shot beat keeper Ian McLoughlin.
Town gradually took more and more control of the game as the second half wore on.
In the 84th minute, with the Blues keeping the visitors under pressure, Martin was bundled over inside the area and converted the spotkick himself.
Town should really have won the game, having had most of the chances. Southend scored with two of their rarer opportunities.
Strike pair Martin and Priskin were lively throughout but were not clinical enough, often overplaying in and around the area.
The returning Ben Thatcher did well at left-back in the first half, as did Shane O’Connor, who replaced him at the break in what looked like a pre-planned substitution. Both players have been out with knee ligament injuries.
Ed Upson and Jack Ainsley were also impressive in what was an unusually full-blooded reserves encounter with Alan Quinn and Alex Bruce particularly committed.
Reserves: McLoughlin, Ainsley, Brown, Bruce, Thatcher (O'Connor 46), Lambe, Upson, Quinn, Brandon (Lavery 63), Priskin, Martin. Unused: Ranieri, McKeown.
Thanks to Andy Pearl for the report.