KEVIN Maher wants Southend United to carry on from where they left off against Dagenham & Redbridge when they take on Dorking tonight.

Blues fought back from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Dagenham at Roots Hall on Saturday.

And Maher now wants the level of the second half showing to be repeated straight from kick off this evening.

“The message is to perform like we did in the second half against Dagenham,” said Maher.

“We don’t want to concede first obviously but it’s testament to the character of the players that when that happens they never give in.

“That’s something we’ve had right from pre-season.

“It’s something they’ve got in their locker and that should never be questioned.

“We look to improve all the time but if we’re disappointed with drawing games then it shows you how far we’ve come and where the standards are now at the football club with the players despite everything they’ve gone through.”

Blues have drawn their last three matches 1-1 to make it seven matches unbeaten and move 10th in the table.

But Maher is not setting any targets for the remainder of the campaign.

“Nothing is impossible but there’s no point in thinking too far ahead,” said Maher.

“We’ve been there before as a football club and we’ve got to have a bit of perspective at times.

“But we just focus on the next game and look to win it, starting with Dorking.”

Wanderers sit 21st in the table and have triumphed just once in five games.

But Maher expects them to be tough to beat tonight.

“Huge credit to Marc, his team and everything they do,” said Maher.

“They beat us at their place at the start of the season and they’re always competitive with everything they do so I’m expecting a huge test.

“I don’t see them as inferior to anyone else in this league.

“They’ve got good experience and real quality in their team so we have absolute respect for them.

“We have to perform and hit the standards we think we can hit.

“That means following on from the second half the other night and looking to win the game.”