Cheltenham Town's difficulty in performing in both halves was brought into focus at Southend United.
In recent games the Robins have been forced to play their best football in the second half after giving the opposition an early advantage but in this game it was the other way round.
Cheltenham were by far the better side in the first half and registered a two goal lead going into the break courtesy of Steven Gillespie and Dean Sinclair.
However, the home side upped their game by several degrees in the second half and the Robins had to withstand some heavy pressure after being pegged back to 2-2.
Still, it was a valuable point from a tough away game and that first half performance will certainly give manager Keith Downing some encouragement.
Alan Wright returned to the team at left-back having been rested for the midweek Johnstone's Paint Trophy tie at Brighton & Hove Albion. He was recalled along with Shane Duff, who has recovered from a calf injury, and Ashley Vincent.
Lee Ridley, Adam Connolly and Michael Wylde were the players to make way for them.
There were chances at both ends in the opening minutes with Vincent shooting just over the bar from distance and Shane Higgs having to save with his feet from Southend striker Matt Harrold after new loan signing Dean Morgan had set him up with a strong run and pass.
Higgs stretched to touch aside a shot from Mark Gower and Southend midfielder Alan McCormack sent a shot onto the roof of the stand behind the goal following a period of pressure from the home side.
But Cheltenham were not afraid to commit players forward and when Paul Connor won a corner with a darting run into the box, the Robins were able to take a suprise lead with 14 minutes played.
David Bird caught the Southend defence dozing with a quickly taken flag kick to Vincent. His cross found Steven Gillespie at the far post and his header from a tight angle landed in the net despite the best efforts of defender Peter Clarke to keep it out.
Cheltenham were causing Southend more problems than they have to a team for weeks with Vincent and Gillespie in particular cutting lines through the home defence with some strong runs onto nicely weighted passes.
And with 25 minutes gone the news got even better when Bird's pass sent Connor down the inside left channel. Connor squared it with a low cross for Dean Sinclair to touch in at close range.
Southend left-back Steven Hammell went close with two free-kicks from the edge of the box that just shaved the crossbar; but Wright again proved a creative presence at set pieces when his free-kick provided a heading chance for Damian Spencer. The big man got his effort on target but this time goalkeeper Steve Collis dived to block.
Wright came to the rescue shortly afterwards when he booted a Lewis Hunt header off the line from a Kevin Maher corner; then Morgan headed over the bar from a Hammell cross but Cheltenham came within inches of a third goal two minutes before the break.
Bird's free-kick found Gavin Caines and his glancing header deflected off a defender and bounced wide off the base of the far post.
Cheltenham began the second half in equally positive fashion but they were undone with five minutes played when Southend put together the kind of slick move they had been trying in the first half but without success.
Hammell's ball up the left reached McCormack and when he squared it for Mark Gower, the wide man produced a clever change of direction on the edge of the box, wrong-footing two defenders, before firing a left-footed shot in off Shane Duff.
All of a sudden Southend were on top with the crowd behind them and Higgs was forced to dive dive at full stretch to push aside an Adam Barrett header from a Hammell free-kick.
Then four minutes later, another sharp move resulted in the equaliser when Gower angled a ball into the box, striker Matt Harrold chested it down and Hammell burst into the box before rolling a shot past Higgs.
Ben Gill replaced Vincent, who had been injured in a challenge at the start of the second half, but with 62 minutes played Caines needed to make a desperate challenge in the six yard box to prevent Harrold from putting Southend in front.
Gower was proving the danger man for the home team with some enterprising runs and searching crosses into the box, one of which almost brought a goal for Morgan but his header landed about a foot wide of the target.
Cheltenham were working to contain their hosts in the second half but one good breakaway move resulted in a corner, at which Duff got up well but headed wide.
Former Cheltenham loanee Charlie MacDonald went on as a late substitute and forced a save from Higgs with virtually his first touch but that was the last chance of an absorbing game.
SOUTHEND UNITED (4-4-2): Collis; Hunt, Clarke, Barrett, Hammell; Moussa (MacDonald 82), McCormack, Maher, Gower; Harrold, Morgan. Subs not used: Flahavan (Gk), Francis, Richards, Hooper
CHELTENHAM TOWN (4-4-2): Higgs; J.Gill, Caines, Duff, Wright; Vincent (B.Gill 59), Sinclair, Bird, Spencer; Gillespie (Reid 90), Connor. Subs not used: Brown (Gk), Connolly, Gallinagh
REFEREE: S.D. Cook (Surrey)
ATTENDANCE: 7,158 (112 from Cheltenham)