SOUTHEND United right-back Jason Demetriou played down a heated exchange between the two teams following the final whistle at Walsall on Saturday.

Referee Carl Boyeson showed yellow cards to Shrimpers skipper Anton Ferdinand and Saddlers defender Scott Laird for their part in the skirmish after the 0-0 draw.

But Demetriou - who was facing his former side at the weekend - felt it was not a big deal, despite a number of players from both sides getting involved.

“It was just handbags really and I don’t think there was much in it if I’m honest,” said the 29-year-old.

“It showed the emotion in the game and just how involved people get in it.

“But everyone walked off fine at the end of it all and there wasn’t a problem so it was all good and not that much of a big deal.”

Ferdinand and Laird had to be pulled apart by their team-mates following the tussle which had initially started just before the final whistle when the Blues defender was angered by his opponent’s refusal to leave the pitch for treatment.

However, the only thing annoying Demetriou was the final score-line as his felt the Shrimpers should have recorded all three points.

“It was nice to come back to somewhere I have happy memories but we deserved all three points,” said Demetriou, who joined Southend from the Saddlers in the summer.

“I think it was quite evident we should have won and we’re disappointed because we’re playing well but we need to be more clinical “It was the same against Swindon and we need to have that edge and find that final pass we need to get us the three points rather than just one.”

But, despite that, Demetriou was delighted to extend Blues’ unbeaten run.

“It’s great to be eight unbeaten and it shows we’re hard to beat,” he added.