SOUTHEND United fell short in their push for the League One play-offs – despite ending the season with a 1-0 win against Bury.

Stephen McLaughlin bagged the only goal of an uneventful game at Roost Hall.

But Millwall’s 4-3 win at Bristol Rovers meant Blues ended the campaign sitting in seventh, just one point behind the Lions.

The Shrimpers did all they could in beating the Shakers.

And Phil Brown’s side almost took an early lead when Ryan Leonard sent a long range effort crashing against the foot of the right post before Simon Cox fired wide of the opposite upright after charging into the penalty area.

However, with 22 minutes on the clock, Blues made the breakthrough with McLaughlin on target for the seventh time this season.

The winger reacted sharply when Jason Demetriou’s right wing cross was poorly headed out by Leon Barnett and drilled a fine right footed half volley into the right hand side of the net.

The rest of the first half remained uneventful before Blues pushed forward at the start of the second period with Will Atkinson sending a low, left footed shot straight at Bury goalkeeper Joe Murphy.

Moments later, Murphy parried out a well struck long range effort from Leonard but Shakers centre-back Cameron Burgess reacted quickest to the resulting rebound to clear the danger.

Blues boss Phil Brown then opted to make his first change of the game in the 79th minute as Luke Amos replaced Luke O’Neill in midfield.

And, shortly after the change, the Shrimpers wasted a fine chance to make it 2-0 as Marc-Antoine Fortune was denied by Murphy before the Frenchman opted not to head an inviting rebound, enabling Burgess to clear.

Fortune was then replaced by Theo Robinson before news of Millwall’s late winner came through to condemn Blues to another season in League One.