SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown was left feeling bitterly disappointed and aggrieved following his side’s shock 1-0 defeat to struggling AFC Wimbledon at Roots Hall.

A second half penalty from ex Shrimpers loanee Jack Midson handed the visitors all three points.

And the manner of the setback left Brown feeling frustrated at the final whistle.

“I’m bitterly disappointed to have lost and I’m also quite aggrieved about the penalty that was given too,”said Brown.

“It was a committed challenge from John Egan and that maybe made it look rash but I actually thought he won the ball before making contact with their player.

“Unfortunately, it was just one of those days for us and it was summed up by how the penalty squirmed under the body of Daniel Bentley before going in.

“We had the crosses in to the box, we had the effort and we had the chances as well but it just wouldn’t go our way and it was just a very frustrating afternoon.

“We had more than 7,500 fans here and I’m so disappointed we’ve sent them home unhappy.”

Despite the defeat however, Blues remain sixth in the League Two table.

But Brown has now given up on being able to secure automatic promotion for his side.

“The highest we can get now is 74 points and Chesterfield, who are third, already have that so we’re aiming for the play-offs now,” said the Blues boss.

“In a funny kind of way knowing that might actually help us and so might the teams we have left to play.

“We’ve still got Rochdale, Fleetwood and Burton to play who are all in the top five but that might suit us because they want to play football themselves.

“Hopefully we can get the points we need in them and we can make the fans happy again in the games we have left.”