SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown has labelled tomorrow’s vital promotion clash with Luton Town as a cup final for his side.

The Shrimpers are locked level on points with third placed Wycombe Wanderers with just two games to go.

And Brown is therefore desperate for Blues to secure a seventh straight win when they take on the play-off pushing Hatters at Roots Hall.

“I don’t normally describe league games as a cup final but that’s exactly what it is this weekend, said the 55-year-old.

“If we win it then we have another cup final at Morecambe the week after but we want and need the win this weekend to keep our chance of a top three finish alive.

“All of our attention is on this game and we want to try and make sure this is our last game of the season at Roots Hall.”

Fourth placed Blues will be bidding to help make that happen by continuing a remarkable run of form which followed a painful 2-1 defeat at Burton Albion in mid-March.

The 10 man Brewers bagged a last minute winner to come out on top at the Pirelli Stadium.

But Brown now feels it was a significant turning point for his side.

“Post Burton it was a similar feeling to the one we had against Burton last season when we lost in the play-offs but it spurs people on and it’s certainly spurred this team on,” said the Blues boss.

“It’s been a massive motivation for us.

“The players were hurting and we lived for the next 24 hours on top of each other because we stayed overnight in a hotel.

“Everyone realised how everyone else was feeling and shared that pain.

“I remember the talk we had vividly and it’s that response which has made this a cup final against Luton.”

And Brown is also eager to impress against the Hatters having suffered a desperately disappointing 2-0 defeat at Kenilworth Road in early October.

“We let the fans down and just didn’t really seem to turn up that day,” recalled Brown.

“Since then I would like to think we’ve repaid the fans but we need to put the record right against Luton now.”

Brown is fully focused on making sure that happens and could even have signed a new three year deal to extend his spell at Roots Hall before the big game gets under way.

“There’s a lot to do in regards to the deal but fingers crossed it will all be done in time for Saturday,” said Brown.

“Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to put pen to paper on a deal before the game.

“We’ve been talking long and hard and to sign it before the match kicked off would be a nice little fillip. “ Southend United (from): Bentley, Leonard, Bolger, Barrett, Coker, Atkinson, Deegan, Timlin, McLaughlin, Corr, Cassidy, Pigott, Weston, Payne, Worrall, T Smith, Hurst, Binnom-Williams & White >BLUES’ promotion rivals Wycombe Wanderers host 12th placed Morecambe at Adams Park tomorrow.

The Chairboys have not lost to the Shrimps in the 11 previous meetings between the two teams