SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown felt his side were let down by a lack of nous against Oldham Athletic tonight.

Blues were beaten 1-0 by the Latics at Roots Hall as they suffered a third defeat in four games.

And Brown was also left ruing his side’s wasted opportunities in front of goal.

“We gave enough to win the game and we had the chances to win it too,” said the Shrimpers boss.

“We had two or three great chances to score but we didn’t take them and that’s why our season is petering out.

“The effort was there but our nous let us down tonight and it has quite a lot during the end of the season.”

The defeat kept Blues 13th in the League One standings and made reaching the play-offs mathematically impossible.

But Brown stressed the need to remain realistic.

“We shouldn’t forget what we are and that’s a newly promoted team,” said the 56-yeaar-old.

“We’ve given people a little bit of a run for their money but we can’t let that die now.

“We need to use the remaining games as preparation for next year.

“People who want to be here will be here and those who don’t want to be here won’t be.

“I’ve got to look at their character of the team in these last three games and I’ve got to look at my character too.”

That quest starts at Wigan Athletic this weekend but Brown is not used to ending the season with very little to play for.

“I’ve never been involved in anything like this,” said Brown.

“I’ve always had something on it with three games to go and this isn’t my cup of tea.

“That’s what I was saying in the dressing room and it certainly wasn’t a dressing down I was giving to the players.”