SO dramatic has Southend United’s season been that there have been very few moments devoid of excitement and entertainment.

However, Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Hartlepool United certainly falls into that category.

Goalscoring opportunities were certainly at a premium.

But given Blues’ recent run and hectic fixture list, a share of the spoils was a reasonable result for Kevin Maher’s side on the road.

The Shrimpers made the long trip north having played nine games in the past 28 days.

Three of those had come in the past fortnight during which time Hartlepool had been without a fixture due to back to back postponements.

Throw in the long journey and those contrasting schedules would have been a concern for Southend ahead of their trip to the Suit Direct Stadium.

But it was actually Blues who looked the more threatening of the two teams the longer the match went on.

The first half was short of action but Shrimpers goalkeeper Collin Andeng Ndi showed good hands when required and his progress should not be overlooked this season.

The youngster has now kept back to back clean sheets and is clearly benefitting from working closely alongside coach David Martin.

In fact, Martin has been something of an unsung hero for Blues this term with both Ollie Kensdale and Henry Sandat both singling him out for praise in recent interviews.

Martin’s expertise and experience is clearly helping those around him and there can certainly be no complaints about the Shrimpers defensively during the current campaign.

Blues have now conceded just 39 goals in 39 games this season and boast the best defensive record in the division.

However, the two clean sheets in quick succession could soon see Maher handed a real selection headache.

Harry Taylor and Ollie Kensdale, two of the Shrimpers’ best performers this season, are both close to making a return for injury.

But should they return to the starting line-up and who should make way if they do?

Jason Demetriou’s role at this twilight stage of his career means he is likely to drop out perhaps alongside Deon Woodman who is only on a short-term loan from QPR.

But picking three from Taylor, Kensdale, Adam Crowther and Nathan Ralph is still an incredibly tough decision to make.

Maher opted to use Ralph at wing-back at the weekend and he does give Blues balance in that role.

The defender replaced Bridge – who had previously started every game this season – and clearly has the talent to pose problems further up that pitch.

Ralph moved back into his more usual role in the back three when Bridge came on midweek through the second half.

And it was Bridge who was involved in the match’s main talking point when he went down in the box following a challenge from Hartlepool substitute Terrell Agyemang.

Referee Richard Aspinall adjudged Bridge to have made the most of the situation and cautioned him for diving.

But the incident was very much in the ‘seen them given’ category.

Bridge was goal-side of the defender before falling to the floor and, although my initial reaction was that a penalty should have been given, replays suggest there was perhaps not quite enough in it to award the spot-kick.

Blues still had other opportunities to win the game with Henry Sandat, Harry Cardwell and Wes Fonguck all presented with chances in front of goal.

But turning these kind of draws into wins away from home is very much an area of improvement needed for next season.

Such have been the crazy circumstances of this campaign that you do have to allow a certain amount of leeway when making assessments.

A nine match unbeaten run is not to be sneezed at and neither is a point against Hartlepool.

However, longer term Blues must be more of a threat away from Roots Hall if they are to sustain a push for promotion next season.

The Shrimpers have now scored just 18 goals in 19 games on the road this term and that is the second lowest tally in the whole of the National League.

To provide balance, Blues do share the second best defensive record away from home.

But the reasons behind the lack of goals does need to be looked at.

It could simply come down to a lack of a quality or a clinical edge in the final third or it could be not committing enough players forward.

The Shrimpers could perhaps try out slightly something different in their remaining four games of the season with one eye on sorting the issue for next year.

That could either be tactically or personnel wise because it is very much the main statistic which stands out when assessing just where improvements can be made.

And if sorted you sense it could see Southend United really among the promotion contenders come this time next season.