SOUTHEND United centre-back Adam Barrett labelled Fleetwood Town's last gasp equaliser as a 'real kick in the teeth' for the Shrimpers on Saturday.

Goals from Barrett and Jack Payne appeared to have given Blues all three points at Roots Hall until Conor McLaughlin's 90th minute leveller meant the game ended 2-2.

And Barrett was gutted to have picked up just a point against a team fighting to avoid relegation.

"It was a real kick in the teeth after fighting back from a goal down to go in front," said the 36-year-old.

"It's frustrating to say the least and we need to be doing better than that.

"We need to be stopping it at source by stopping the cross in the first place but we need to be more professional and see it out too.

"Three points would have kept it alive for us and we needed to be winning that.

"But we were naïve at the end there because we should have got the three points."

The share of the spoils also saw the Shrimpers drop down to 11th, nine points below the play-offs with just five games to go.

However, Barrett is still eager to end the campaign on a high.

"We won't ease off because we can't let that happen," said the defender who has now netted four goals this term.

"We want to finish as high up as we can and if that's seventh it's seventh and if it's in the play-offs then great.

"But there will be no talk about our season petering out.

"I hate that phrase and we need to be professional.

"The fans pay their money to come and see us play and we have to keep on giving it everything we've got.

"We want to finish the season on a high and we won't be throwing the towel in."