Wycombe Wanderers continued their winless run at home in the league but almost pulled a point out of the fire, losing 3-2 after another inspired comeback.

Goals from Theo Robinson, Tom Hopper and Simon Cox looked to have put the visitors in control at Adams Park.

Substitute Craig Mackail-Smith pulled one back with the goal of the game on 82 minutes to give them hope before Adebayo Akinfenwa slammed home on 85 minutes to spark hopes of a famous fightback.

With both sides having a host of chances in the first half, Robinson gave the visitors the lead on 31 minutes from Hopper's cross.

Hopper made it two on 52 minutes when he tucked away Ben Coker's cross from six yards.

Southend looked to have made the game safe on 57 minutes when the impressive Jason Demetriou sent Cox scurrying down the right and he slotted coolly past Ryan Allsop.

Mackail-Smith then smashed home an incredible volley with eight minutes to go, thundering it past Mark Oxley from 20 yards.

Akinfenwa then scored with a close-range finish on 85 minutes to try and put the Shrimpers under maximum pressure.

Wanderers made a bright start to the match and Joe Jacobson’s corner after 40 seconds just evaded everyone.

Southend looked lively early on as well and Coker had a shot well held by Ryan Allsop after five minutes after the Shrimpers got in behind the Wycombe defence.

The Blues were gradually getting on top and Bryn Morris had a half-chance on 12 minutes, volleying wide from 20 yards after being teed up by Adebayo Akinfenwa.

The game was being played at a decent tempo and Hopper headed just wide a minute later from Coker’s floated cross.

Southend missed a sitter on 14 minutes when an unmarked Robinson skyed over from eight yards after an inviting cross from Cox.

After a promising start from the Chairboys, Southend began to get in the ascendency and Demetriou saw his shot deflected just over on 15 minutes.

Once again, Southend steamed forward on 16 minutes and Allsop pulled off a smart save to deny Cox from close-range.

Wycombe hit back with an opportunity on 18 minutes when Darius Charles headed over when well placed after a great delivery by Jacobson.

It was a game full of chances and Matt Bloomfield fired inches wide with Mark Oxley beaten after excellent work from Akinfenwa.

Akinfenwa came close to giving the home side the lead on 23 minutes as he headed over a lovely cross from Fred Onyedinma.

With so many chances for either side, the profligacy continued on 25 minutes when Robinson smacked it wide from 12 years after brilliant play by Demetriou.

The game fizzled out a touch but both sides still wanted to get on the attack as much as possible.

The industrious Bloomfield nearly got in behind on 36 minutes but he was denied by a great tackle from a John White.

A minute later, Robinson finally opened the scoring for the visitors but Wanderers responded well to that setback and the dangerous Akinfenwa nodded down for Bloomfield from Jason McCarthy’s cross but Oxley held on easily in the Southend goal.

The Blues should have equalised at the start of the second half after only 20 seconds when Onyedinma was through one-on-one but Oxley made a brilliant save to deny him.

That missed chance hurt the Chairboys and on 52 minutes, Southend doubled their advantage when Hopper turned home.

And it got even worse for Wycombe as Cox confidently finished past Allsop.

Wanderers were clearly rattled by that double blow and Southend were playing some quick, incisive football as they looked for a fourth.

Southend were confident in seeing out time and Wanderers just couldnt' strike a blow past an impressive defence.

However, Mackail-Smith's volley and Akinfenwa's goal sparked fresh life into the Blues.

Akinfenwa nearly scored an incredible with a volley from 10 yards on 89 minutes but Oxley held on superbly.

Mackail-Smith was close to scoring another memorable volley from Akinfenwa's flick-on in injury time.

However, Southend just held on to hold Wanderers at bay, who still seek a first league win at Adams Park this season.

WYCOMBE WANDERERS: Allsop, McCarthy, Jombati, Charles, Jacobson, Gape, Morris, Bloomfield (sub: Cowan-Hall, 65), Onyedinma (sub: Williams, 65), Akinfenwa, Kashket (sub: Mackail-Smith, 65). Subs: Ma-Kalambay, Harriman, Thompson, Freeman.

SOUTHEND UNITED: Oxley, Demetriou, Turner, White, Moore, Coker, Dieng, Mantom (sub: Yearwood, 76), Cox (sub: McLaughlin, 71), Robinson (sub: Kightly, 71), Hopper. Subs: Bishop, Klass, Kyprianou, McCoulsky.

REFEREE: Tom Nield