Southend miss out on League One play-offs despite final-day victory over Bury
Southend 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 Roots Hall.
But Millwall's 4-3 win at Bristol Rovers meant the Shrimpers ended the campaign in seventh place, one point behind the Lions.
Phil Brown's side did all they could by beating the Shakers, who avoided relegation despite the defeat.
Southend - who headed into the match with four defeats in their last five games - went close to taking an early lead when Ryan Leonard sent a long-range shot against the foot of the right post.
But the hosts made the breakthrough in the 22nd minute when Jason Demetriou's right-wing cross was tamely headed out by Leon Barnett, enabling McLaughlin to drill a right-footed half-volley into the right-hand side of the net.
The Shrimpers were rarely troubled in the second half and went close to making it 2-0 when Marc-Antoine Fortune was denied by Shakers goalkeeper Joe Murphy.
Source: PA
