Southend United 0 York City 0

The only change to the side which lost by a goal to nil at Mansfield Town three days earlier saw Mark Bentley replace the injured Jay Smith in midfield as Steve Tilson's men looked to build on what was a decent performance at Field Mill.

Unfortunately it wasn't to be, and after a terribly slow start to the match the first effort at goal from either side didn't arrive until seconds before the quarter-hour mark when Minstermen midfielder Darren Dunning saw his free kick drop to Mitch Ward who brought a full steetch tp over the top by Flahavan with a delicate lofted chip, the resulting Ward corner then saw Dunning's looping header nodded against the crossbar and to safety by Bentley.

United's first half chabce didn't arrive until the 23rd minute, and Drewe Broughton saw his long range volley curl a long way off target. Six minutes later a dangerous low cross by Ward saw Darryl Flshsvan only push the ball away before Keven Maher's clearance dropped only as far as Dunning who's 25 yard curling shot saw the upright struck for a second time before Maher eventually scrambled the ball clear.

Ten minutes before the interval a decent Duncan Jupp centre saw City goalkeeper Mark Ovendale punch clear ahead of Broughton but Maher driven shot flew straight into the hands of the York custodian.

Dunning then scuffed a shot into the grasp of Flahavan following a swinging Darren Edmondson cross before a shot corner routine involving Mark Gower and Steven Clark saw the former cross to the bac post where Leon Constantine flicked the ball back for Leon Cort to send an acrobatic bicycle kick over the crossbar.

Flahavan did well to hold onto a fierce Justin Walker drive a minute before the interval and Gower's fine curling 25 yard shot brought a fantastic diving stop out of Ovendale before the dying seconds of the first half saw Maher's chipped shot nodded off the goalline by Richard Hope.

Sadly for the struggling Shrimpers those late first period chances were the best Tilson's men could offer, and whilst the visitors sat back on the goalless scoreline - City came with no other intention - Southend, seemingly reluctant to start a positive forward move, didn't seem to have any ideas on how to break down the North Yorkshire side.

Indeed the closest United came, just three minutes after the re-start was when City player David Merris headed a Clark cross fractionally wide of his own post. Three minutes later an impressive Gower run saw the nipply Blues playmaker find space but his shot sailed wide of Ovendale's sticks.

Those two chances was all the game really produced until, Southend desperately strode forward in the last five minutes if the clash and left City with the opportunity to counter-atack. Substitute Lee Nogan curled a shot over the top of Flahavan's crossbar before, on 88 minuyes another substitute, Levent Yalcin, shott off target. The last chance of the game then also fell o visitors, and again to Yalcin, as Flahavan was called upon to hold onto a low driven shot.