Southend United and Exeter City played out a goalless stalemate in their battle at the bottom end of League One.

With both sides chasing three points, this would not have been seen as the ideal conclusion for either, but with the very nature of it being a 'six pointer', it was a game neither could afford to lose.

Because of that very scenario, it was perhaps no surprise that the match never came to life at Roots Hall, with both sides struggling to create chances in the final third.

With both teams in the bottom four of League One and a desperate need to pick up points, the first half saw both struggle to find their footing.

Chances in front of goal were scarce, but the best did arrive for Southend when Scott Vernon should have scored following the best move of the first half.

A brilliant ball over the top from Simon Francis found Matt Paterson inside the box and his square pass was set up perfectly for Vernon in front of the goal, but the on-loan striker's low shot was hit straight at goalkeeper Paul Jones.

Exeter saw their main threats at goal come from long range, with the very first shot of the match seeing Ryan Harley arrow a low effort straight at Steve Mildenhall.

James Dunne looked to try his luck from a similar range, but again Mildenhall had few problems in smothering the ball during an anxious opening 45 minutes.

The action resumed at a frantic pace after the second half, with Paterson teeing up Francis Laurent on the edge of the box for a shot which was tipped over the top of the goal by Jones inside the first minute.

Vernon had soon muscled his way past his marker inside the area to fashion a strike at goal which Jones blocked before collecting the rebound and being denied a second time before Laurent blasted over at the third attempt.

At the other end, only a brilliant save from Mildenhall denied Dunne from scoring for the visitors.

Lining up 20 yards out, Dunne drilled a strike which Mildenhall pushed on to the crossbar and although Stansfield knocked the ball into the net from the rebound, the goal was ruled out for offside.

With such an action packed start, the game soon subsided, with Laurent failing to control a free kick from close range and simply hooking the ball into the gloves of Jones.

Stansfield came close for Exeter with a low shot taking a wicked deflection and flashing just wide of the left-hand post, as Mildenhall was caught wrong-footed.

Fleetwood then failed to control inside the box with a clear sight of goal before the same player looked set to score from Harley's cross before a brave header from Pat Baldwin averted the damage.

A final chance saw Scannell denied by Jones, but the full time whistle soon blew on proceedings, with Southend now looking for a better return from the next two matches at home to Carlisle United and Walsall.

Southend: Mildenhall, Francis, Baldwin, Barrett, Malone, Laurent, Grant, Moussa, Scannell, Paterson (Spencer 80), Vernon.

Exeter: Jones, Tully, Duffy, Taylor, Harley, Stansfield (Fleetwood 77), Golbourne, Dunne, Sercombe, Friend, Haber (Logan 68).