SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown felt a draw was a fair result against Peterborough United at Roots Hall.

Jack Marriott’s second half strike cancelled out Marc-Antoine Fortune’s opener for the Shrimpers to ensure the game ended in a 1-1 draw.

And Brown felt both sides deserved a share of the spoils.

“It was frustrating for both managers as both teams could have won it but they could have lost it too so in the end a point was a fair result,” said Brown.

“My goalkeeper has pulled off two or three great saves but we’ve had some great opportunities to kill the game off before that.

“In many ways it was like an FA Cup tie because both sides were going at it and it was only when the board went up with the four minutes on that we both settled for a point.

“It did nothing for my grey hair and nothing for my heart either.”

Fortune took advantage of some poor defending from Posh skipper Jack Baldwin to net his first goal of the season.

And the Shrimpers were clearly angered by a decision from the assistant referee in the build up to Posh’s equaliser at the start of the second half.

“We’re bemoaning a throw in that was given one way and then the other but we didn’t defend it properly and something gave way,” said Brown.

“When you have a makeshift back four like we did then I suppose we have to happy with a point.

“We’re still piecing the jigsaw together because of injuries but I’m not going to bemoan them.

“Instead I’ll give everyone a pat on the back because the work-rate was tremendous and it had to be against a side who were bang at it.

“They had a shock result against Gillingham at the weekend and they travel well, scoring more than two goals a game.

“In that regards it’s a good point but when you go 1-0 up expect to go on and win it.

“If you’re looking for excuses why we haven’t it’s probably that little bit of inexperience.”

The draw kept Blues 15th in the League One standings but Brown expects to be able to field a stronger starting line-up at home to Bury this weekend.

“Anton Ferdinand is back on Saturday and Michael Kightly trained today and looks like he’s ready to step up to plate,” said Brown.

“He wants to be involved and hopefully Michael Turner will be the same.”