FLEETWOOD Town boss Joey Barton felt Southend United celebrated Saturday’s stalemate at Roots Hall like they had won a cup tie.

Barton was frustrated to pick up just a point against the Shrimpers at Roots Hall.

And the Cod Army chief insisted Blues could not have complained if they had conceded more goals.

“We’ve come away from home and scored three goals, looking like we’re going to score 33 goals so to come away with a point is disappointing,” said the former Manchester City midfielder.

“Our lads are sitting in the dressing room feeling like they’ve been beaten but the other team are in there celebrating like they’ve won an FA Cup tie and that’s what late goals against good sides can do.

“If we’d have won this game 6-3 or 7-3 I don’t think there would have been any complaints from Southend as we were much the better side for large parts of it.

“But that matters not, they Southend get the point to build on their season.”

Fleetwood wasted chances to go further ahead when leading 3-2 with Josh Morris firing wide when well placed and Jimmy Dunne hitting the inside of the left post.

But it was also his side’s defending which frustrated Barton.

“If you don’t keep your back door locked and you give away free kicks in dangerous areas you always leave yourself liable to concede goals which is what we did,” said Barton.

“I think it’s pretty obvious to see what was disappointing from the goals we conceded but we’re in it together.

“We’re a side that is emerging but we have lessons to learn and so much hard work to do.”

The share of the spoils kept Fleetwood fourth in the table.

But Barton feels Town should be far higher.

“We’re gutted as we should be sitting at the top of the table,” said the Fleetwood boss.

“We were wasteful, we hit the post a couple of times and we should have put the game beyond them.

“But we’ve come here devastated to not win the game and that is the standard we’ve set ourselves.

“We have a long coach journey back and we’ll be ruing the opportunity of not having another two points on the coach with us.”