SOUTHEND United remain a point outside the play-off positions after suffering a disappointing 1-0 defeat at Shrewsbury Town this afternoon.

The Shrimpers – who were roared on by close to 1,300 travelling fans – had been hoping to move back into the top six with an improved showing at the Greenhous Meadow.

However, Phil Brown’s side were again below par and Junior Brown’s second half header saw Blues suffer a fourth defeat in five games.

Despite their sudden loss of form, seventh placed Southend remain a point behind the play-offs with just one game to go.

But they rarely threatened against the Shrews who, in contrast, started brightly with Joe Riley’s right wing cross causing confusion in the Shrimpers penalty area before drifting just wide of the left post.

Moments later, Blues’ shot-stopper Christian Walton got down well to push a deflected Stefan Payne effort wide of the target before Southend hit back with Will Atkinson heading Stephen McLaughlin’s left wing cross straight at Shrews goalkeeper Jayson Leutwiler.

His opposite number, Walton, then did well to smother a well struck effort from Payne before the Shrimpers hit back on the half hour mark with Ryan Leonard having a low shot deflected inches wide.

After the break, Nile Ranger also sent a deflected effort into the side-netting before firing a 20 yard shot over the crossbar after doing well to create the opportunity.

With Blues continuing to attack, Simon Cox then saw a well struck 20 yard shot parried out by Leutwiler.

But, after surviving the scare, the Shrews hit back to bag the game’s only goal in the 64th minute as shocking marking from Shaun Whalley’s left wing corner enabled an unmarked Brown to bundle the ball into the back of the net from 10 yards.

Southend boss Brown immediately responded by making his first change of the game as Jermaine McGlashan replaced Stephen McLaughlin and, in the 70th minute, came two more changes as Theo Robinson and Marc-Antoine Fortune entered the action in place of Ranger and Michael Timlin.

Shortly after his introduction, Robinson sent a deflected shot straight at Leutwiler before an instinctive close range volley from Simon Cox went well wide of the target following a right wing corner from Jason Demetriou.

But, after that, the Shrimpers rarely threatened as they sunk to a second defeat in succession.