QUAKERS' boss Gary Bennett admitted that the late goal conceded last night was a "sickening" equaliser.

"Southend didn't really hurt us until they scored near the end," he said.

"Their lad picked up the ball and beat a couple of our men and I was a little bit unhappy that we didn't get in a challenge.

"That proved our luck because a couple of minutes later at the other end we had a good chance through Paul Campbell which hit the bar then bounced out.

"We scored a good goal through Glenn Naylor and I thought that was enough.

"But you've still got to give credit to the lads. We've got some very young players in there and they were brilliant tonight, because it is very difficult to play against a team which puts the ball in the air a lot.

"The lads are devastated. They thought they did enough to win it but they have to pick themselves up now for Saturday."

A late goal from Southend striker Tes Bramble meant Bennett and his men must continue their fight for s survival.

Quakers looked as if they were on course for a valuable victory from a poor game until Bramble struck to maintain the relegation tension around Feethams.

But even though there weren't many thrills in the game, Quakers still looked reasonably solid and should still survive as they have now climbed above York City and are six points ahead of bottom club Torquay.

In the opening minutes John Williams tried his luck from 25 yards, but his right-foot shot was well off target.

Southend managed their first real chance of the game after 12 minutes when Mark Rawle's attempted lob from Tes Bramble's knock down was easily saved by Quakers keeper Peter Keen.

Concerned at his side's faltering attack, manager Gary Bennett pushed Glenn Naylor into the forward line on 25 minutes; a move that almost reaped immediate reward when Williams controlled an Alex Jeannin cross but saw his goal-bound effort blocked by Southend keeper Daryl Flahavan.

Leading scorer Naylor had the ball in the net after 33 minutes but his shot from a Williams knock-down was ruled out for offside.

Southend replied with a good run by Bramble from the halfway line but he over-hit his pass for Scott Forbes inside the area, and then Maher fired well wide from 25 yards.

Quakers replied to early Southend pressure after the interval when Richard Hodgson cut in from the right and hit a left foot shot which went just over the top.

A minute later Quakers posed a danger again when Liddle's goal bound header from Naylor's right wing corner was cleared of the line by Martyn Booty.

The breakthrough finally came on 61 minutes when Williams found Brumwell whse cross was met by Naylor to power a header into the bottom corner.

Southend hit back with their best spell of the game but Quakers broke out and nearly got a second after 77 minutes when Williams beat two men in but mis-hit his shot straight at Flahavan.

And Jeannin nearly grabbed a goal after 82 minutes with a low free kick which the keeper saved at full stretch.

But Southend levelled with six minutes left when Bramble picked up a loose ball outside the box, beat two men and hit a low right foot shot past Keen. Quakers nearly won the game with three minutes left when Paul Campbell headed against the upright with Flahavan beaten.

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