TEN MAN Southend United endured another frustrating and futile afternoon at Roots Hall as they were held to a disappointing 0-0 draw against struggling Dagenham & Redbridge.

The Shrimpers, who also played out a goalless stalemate with Burton Albion in their previous home game, were unable to make a breakthrough during a sustained pressure at the start of the second half.

And their hopes of securing all three points were hit in the 70th minute when defender Cian Bolger was dismissed for violent conduct.

Before that drama unfolded however, the game was slow to get going.

But, with nine minutes on the clock, Dagenham were almost gifted the lead when John White embarrassingly knocked the ball past Blues goalkeeper Daniel Bentley and in to the back of his own net.

However, the right-back’s blushes were spared by assistant referee Carl Brook who adjudged Dagenham winger Ashley Hemmings to have been in an offside position.

Southend hit back with Barry Corr heading Ben Coker’s right wing corner over the crossbar but goalscoring chances remained few and far between during a quiet opening first half.

Blues’ hopes of making a breakthrough were not helped by an enforced first change just five minutes before the break when the influential David Worrall limped off injured and was replaced by Shaq Coulthirst.

The new look Shrimpers attempted to make the breakthrough at the start of the second half, with Myles Weston shooting straight at Dagenham goalkeeper Mark Cousins from 30 yards.

Blues then momentarily came to life with Barry Corr having a close range shot blocked by Cousins after the ball had dropped down in to the Irishman’s path in front of goal.

Corr soon turned creator as he nodded the ball down in to the path of Jack Payne whose diving header was impressively palmed to safety by Cousins.

And, in the 52nd minute, the former Colchester United goalkeeper made another fine save as he got down well low down to his right hand side to tip another effort from Corr wide of the post.

The Shrimpers striker wasted another chance just before the hour mark when he headed a left wing free-kick from Coker over the crossbar.

With Southend continuing to attack, Coulthirst soon had a curling low shot from 25 yards tipped wide of the right post by Cousins who then also did superbly well to push over a speculative effort from Jack Payne.

But, having survived the scares, Dagenham were again left frustrated by the flag of an assistant referee when Joss Labadie’s close range effort, which came after Bentley had parried out a long range shot from Jamie Cureton, was ruled out for offside.

The visitors again went close to scoring when Ashley Hemmings’ swerving 25 yard shot was tipped over by Bentley.

Southend attempted to hit back after surviving the scares, but their hopes were hit hard in the 69th minute, when Bolger was sent off for the second time this season.

The centre-back clattered in to goalkeeper Cousins when attempting to reach a corner and then thrust his forehead towards Labadie before being shown by a red card by referee Gavin Ward.

Southend reorganised with Michael Timlin replacing Payne while Jason Williams later took the place of Corr in attack.

He just failed to reach the rebound after Will Atkinson’s powerful shot had been parried out by Cousins as another home game ended without a goal for Blues in their final game of 2014.