BLUES boss Phil Brown felt Portsmouth were fortunate not to be reduced to 10 men at Fratton Park on Saturday.

Referee Carl Boyeson awarded the Shrimpers a penalty on the advice of his assistant who felt Christian Burgess had handled John White’s shot on the stroke of half-time.

But Brown - whose side were beaten 1-0 - could not understand why that did not result in further punishment.

“He gave a handball against a shot going towards goal and that’s a sending off offence,” said the Southend chief.

“If the linesman and referee are brave enough to give a penalty in front of 18,000 screaming fans well played but they had to follow it up with a red card but he didn’t show any kind of card at all. If it’s a penalty, handball and denying a goalscoring opportunity then it’s a red card.

“It looked like a great save but everything happened so quickly I couldn’t really work out what happened and if it was the first shot or the second block he was giving handball for. “ Shrimpers striker Nile Ranger sent the spot-kick over the crossbar.

But Brown seemed to suggest there was not one designated penalty taker.

“Simon Cox was one, so was Nile Ranger, Theo Robinson and Josh Wright,” said Brown.

“There’s a queue and I don’t mind that but what happened after that was comical.”

Blues have now missed three of their last four penalties with Cox failing twice from the spot.