MICHAEL Timlin insists the pain of last season’s play-off failure will spur Southend United on in their huge promotion clash at Bury tonight.

The Shrimpers can move level on points with third placed Wycombe Wanderers if they beat fellow high-flyers Bury at Gigg Lane.

And the influential Timlin believes Blues will be desperate to come out on top as they strive to avoid a repeat of last year’s heart-break when they lost to Burton Albion in the semi-final of the play-offs.

“The lads who have been here a while know the pain of missing out like we did against Burton last season so we definitely don’t want that to happen again,” said the 30-year-old midfielder.

“We want to get top three and that makes this Bury match massive because if they win they will go into the automatic promotion places and if we win then we go joint third with Wycombe.

“There’s a lot riding on it but we’re just focusing on this game alone and nothing else because we know we can’t afford to get carried away.”

The Shrimpers were at one stage 11 points behind third placed Wycombe but have clawed their way back into contention with five successive victories.

However, defeat tonight would all but end Southend’s hopes of a top three finish but Timlin believes that level of pressure is nothing new for Phil Brown’s side who are fifth in the table.

“We know we can’t afford to lose but it’s been that way for several weeks now,” said Timlin, who scored Blues’ late winner at Exeter City on Saturday.

“After the Burton game in the middle of March we knew we couldn’t really drop many more points and apart from Cambridge at home which we drew we’ve won every game.

“We must be the best team in the league at the moment on form so this is another test we’re relishing.”

But Bury are also in great form having won seven of their last games.

And Timlin is expecting an extremely tough evening.

“Bury are a very good team,” said the former Swindon Town midfielder.

“They move the ball around well and have some great players but so do we.

“The mentality of the group is also great and we just have to make sure we bring our best game to the table now.”