THERE was a familiar feeling of frustration for anyone connected with Southend United following Saturday’s uneventful stalemate with Cambridge United.

For, having netted seven goals in their previous four outings at Roots Hall, the Shrimpers reverted back to being rather shot shy as they were held to their fourth 0-0 draw at home since mid December.

In truth, neither side ever looked like scoring during one of the dullest and dreariest games of the season so far as Blues struggled to break down a stubborn Cambridge side who clearly came to secure just a share of the spoils.

And those tactics, along with the visitors’ resolute rearguard, again dented the Shrimpers hopes of automatic promotion.

Phil Brown’s side now find themselves five points behind the top three and have also played a game more than third placed Wycombe Wanderers.

The Chairboys visit promotion rivals Luton Town tomorrow night and victory would mean the Shrimpers find themselves eight points off the pace with just eight games of the season to go.

A place in the play-offs in therefore appearing ever more likely and when the time comes to analyse why that is the case, games like Saturday will be one of the main reasons.

Blues certainly enjoyed more of the ball against Cambridge but were unable to cause them problems or find enough of a cutting edge to ever trouble Chris Dunn between the sticks.

And that has been a constant concern for the majority of the season as the Shrimpers have scored just 19 goals in their 19 homes games.

That is the fourth worst record in quite a poor League Two and is in complete contrast to the sides closing in on promotion with table topping Burton Albion having bagged 28 goals at their own ground and second placed Shrewsbury Town 36.

At the other end of the field, Blues have no such concerns and, after another clean sheet on Saturday, they still boast the joint best defensive home record at this level.

The Shrimpers have conceded just nine goals at their own ground in the league this term and the latest shut-out made it another memorable weekend for goalkeeper Daniel Bentley.

The highly rated shot-stopper was rarely troubled between the sticks with Cambridge United striker Matt Harrold unable to continue his excellent scoring record against his former side.

Harrold has made a habit of scoring against the Shrimpers since leaving the club in 2008 but he could not find a way past Bentley who became the first Southend goalkeeper in 34 years to have kept eight successive clean sheets at Roots Hall.

The impressive record has been helped by some determined defending which was epitomised by Luke Prosser standing tall to take a well-struck Ryan Donaldson free-kick full in the face.

Prosser was knocked unconscious by the strike before being stretchered off wearing a neck brace in some quite worrying scenes.

The Shrimpers will now be wishing him a speedy recovery, not least because he has become a very important player in their back four.

But it is the form and finesse in the final third which will ultimately decide Blues’ destiny this season.

Automatic promotion is beginning to look improbable but Southend should still have enough about them to stay in the play-offs.

Blues are currently six points clear of eighth placed Plymouth Argyle but will need to improve their record against the top teams if they are to secure a return to League One.

At present, Southend have triumphed just once in 11 games against teams in the top eight, claiming just eight points from a possible 33.

That is simply not good enough for a side with serious aspirations of promotion and Blues will be bidding to put that right when they head to fellow high flyers Bury this weekend vitally needing a victory to boost their flagging fortunes.