SOUTHEND United’s Jason Demetriou is desperate to avoid more final day agony this weekend.

The right-back missed out on automatic promotion with Walsall on the last day of the League One season 12 months ago.

And he is now keen to secure a happier ending to the current campaign as Blues bid to make the play-offs by beating Bury.

“The final day of last season was one of the most gutting experiences I’ve ever had in football and I don’t want to be feeling like that again on Sunday,” said Demetriou.

“We won at Port Vale with Walsall but results didn’t go our way elsewhere and we missed out by a point.

“It’s out of our hands again but hopefully it’s written in the stars for us to pip Millwall for sixth.”

However, in a bid to make that happen, Demetriou has called on Blues to be brave on the ball against the Shakers.

The seventh placed Shrimpers must better Millwall’s result away at Bristol Rovers if they are to end the season in the play-off positions.

But Demetriou feels Blues will only be able to jump above the Lions if they can rediscover their best form.

“We spoke about it in training yesterday and the manager was right in what he said because we do need to be brave on the ball,” said the right-back.

“There wasn’t much in the game at Shrewsbury on Saturday and it was so frustrating to lose when just a point would have taken us into the play-offs and put things back in our hands.

“But we need to learn from it and we need to keep on playing the football that has got us into contention.

“I think sometimes it can be easier to go long to Range (Nile Ranger) but we need to play our football and keep on being brave.”

The Shrimpers remain just a point behind Millwall in the standings heading into the final round of fixtures.

But Demetriou does not envy the Lions’ fixture at the Memorial Stadium.

“I certainly wouldn’t be looking forward to playing away at Bristol Rovers and I’m sure Millwall aren’t either,” said Demetriou.

“It’s a very tough game there but we can’t really be worrying about that because we have to focus on ourselves and the game we have.

“I’m sure there will be a good atmosphere inside the ground and I’m really looking forward to it.

“These are the type of games you want to be involved in as professional footballers and although we’ve dropped a few points lately I’m feeling confident going into it.”

Blues have now been beaten four times in their last five games.

But Shrimpers chief Phil Brown was buoyed by his side’s form in training.

“We trained at Roots Hall yesterday and the standard of our play was fantastic,” said Brown.

“If you hadn’t have known, you could easily have been watching at least a team in the Championship and I’m sure the players we’ve got who have played at that level would agree.

“But I now have to try and make sure this kind of form is shown in the Bury game we have on Sunday.”

Left-back Ben Coker is still on course to figure against the Shakers.