Blues bid to secure play-off place

SOUTHEND United will secure a place in the play-offs if they can beat Barnet at Roots Hall tonight.
The Shrimpers currently sit seven points clear of 8th place, and three points will mean the team occupying that position, Crewe, cannot mathematically catch them.
However, they will come up against a Barnet side not only embroiled in a relegation dogfight, but under new management.
Ex-Southend midfielder Martin Allen has returned to the north London side to try and save them from the trapdoor into the Conference.
Fortunately for Blues boss Paul Sturrock, he has Freddy Eastwood at his disposal after the forward was left out of the starting line-up against Torquay due to a knee injury.
Elliot Benyon will serve the final match of his suspension received for being sent off at Bradford earlier this month.
Eastwood though has declared himself fully fit for tonight and also back in contention is Luke Prosser, whose assured displays at the back have earned him much praise this season.
Ryan Leonard has returned to training but will not be ready for the clash with Barnet, who lost 3-0 to the Shrimpers when the sides met at Underhill in October.
The corresponding fixture between the sides last season ended with a 2-1 win for Southend. Craig Easton and Ryan Hall struck early on before Steve Kabba pulled a late goal back for Barnet.

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