SOUTHEND United were held to a 0-0 draw at Hartlepool United this afternoon.

The game was short of clear-cut goalscoring opportunities at both ends of the pitch.

But the share of the spoils did it make it nine matches without defeat for the Shrimpers.

Hartlepool, who came into the game having not played for a fortnight, threatened first with top scorer Mani Dieseruvwe working his way past two Blues defenders before shooting straight at Collin Andeng Ndi just outside the penalty area.

Moments later, play switched to the other end of the pitch with Gus Scott-Morriss seeing an effort blocked in front of goal following a left wing cross from Nathan Ralph who lined up at left-wing back with Jack Bridge dropping down onto the bench.

That alteration led to Jason Demetriou returning to the team at left-sided centre-back while Blues’ only other change came in attack with Henry Sandat replacing Danny Waldron alongside Harry Cardwell.

However, in Dieseruvwe, Hartlepool boast one of the division’s best strikers and he soon worked his way away from both Adam Crowther and Deon Woodman before teeing up Brennan Dickenson whose low shot was smartly held down to his right hand side by Andeng Ndi.

Dickenson then saw another effort deflect wide of the right post before the game momentarily increased in excitement when Blues saw slight shouts for a penalty waved away following a challenge from David Ferguson on Harry Cardwell.

A heated melee ensued between both teams which resulted in an incensed Scott-Morriss being yellow carded along with Ferguson before Blues ended a largely uneventful half with Noor Husin firing wide of the right post from long range.

After the break, a well-worked move from the Shrimpers ended with Sandat heading James Morton’s left wing cross over the crossbar from eight yards.

The effort appeared to take a deflection on its way over but referee Richard Aspinall awarded just a goal-kick before Hartlepool responded with Dickenson forcing Andeng Ndi into a good stop down to his right hand side.

Blues responded with a double change in the 64th minute as Wes Fonguck and Jack Bridge entered the action in place Woodman and Morton.

The two substitutions combined 15 minutes from time with Fonguck rolling a through ball into the path of Bridge who went down in the box after getting goal-side of Dickenson.

The Shrimpers screamed for a penalty but referee Aspinall was not convinced and showed Bridge a yellow card after adjudging him to have dived.

Blues immediately made their third and final change with Marcus Dackers replacing Sandat in attack but it was his strike-partner Cardwell who threatened next as he headed Bridge’s right wing corner wide of the left post.

Cardwell then saw a powerful shot from a narrow angle pushed wide of the left post by Hartlepool goalkeeper Pete Jameson before Fonguck volleyed over from eight yards after controlling a right wing cross from Noor Husin.

But the game was to end without a goal.