MICHAEL Timlin and his Southend United team-mates are determined that their season will not finish until the end of May.

Blues head into their match at Cheltenham Town today in sixth place and midfielder Timlin says the players want to stay in the play-off places having won two games on the spin.

He says they are fully focused on successfully winning promotion to League One after falling short in their play-off quest last season and losing 3-2 on aggregate to Crewe the season before.

Blues finish their campaign at home to Burton Albion on May 3 but will be aiming for the League Two play-off final at Wembley on May 26.

"We're hoping it's third time lucky but the way that the season has gone so far we are not taking it that we are lucky to be in this situation," said Timlin, 29.

"We like to think that we have shown to everyone this season that we are a good team in this division. We are not going into the play-offs feeling down-hearted.

"Obviously we have got to make sure we are full of enthusiasm and we are not thinking that May 3 is the last game of the season. We have got to concentrate on May 26.

"But first and foremost we have got to concentrate on Cheltenham coming up this Saturday and nothing else."

Timlin, who joined the Shrimpers from Swindon in 2012, is not taking things for granted against the Robins, who are 11th in the table and eight points adrift of Blues.

But he said there is a good buzz around the training ground following wins over Torquay and Oxford.

"We have scored a lots of goals and won a good amount of games away from home," added Timlin, who played in the 1-1 draw with Cheltenham earlier this season.

"But it's in the back of our minds that we are going to Cheltenham now who are on a very good run since we played them.

"They have got very good players and we know it’s going to be an extremely tough game and it's going to come down to mentality rather than ability. But we have the players that can produce that bit of magic to win a game."

Assistant boss Dave Penney said Southend have no fear going into their remaining away games, although he admits Cheltenham, Fleetwood and Rochdale are "decent" teams.

"Cheltenham were there or there abouts last season and they will be this year," Penny said. "They have got Steven Elliott, David Noble and Matt Richards, there's bags of experience in there.

"Their home record has been poor this season so I'm sure they'll be looking to rectify that, but hopefully it's a chink in their armour that we can exploit.”

Phil Brown's team head to Whadden Road with a full squad to chose from now that eight-goal striker Barry Corr is back following a three-match ban, although he faces a fight for a starting place with Freddy Eastwood, Lee Barnard and Jamar Loza.

Julian Bennett (knee) is the only long-term unavailability.