SWINDON Town welcomed in the new year with a point after an entertaining goalless draw at home to Southend United this afternoon.

Chances were few and far between in an uninspiring first half at the County Ground but the contest really opened up after the break as both sides flooded forward and threatened to steal the win.

Jonathan Obika and substitute Jermaine Hylton went closest for the home side, while the hosts were indebted to a fine double save from goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux as he denied Jason Demetriou and Zavon Hines in quick succession, with the latter also seeing an effort hit the post.

The result leaves Town in the same position as they entered 2017, three points above the League One relegation zone. However, it also stretches their unbeaten home sequence in the league to four games, a run of form that they will need to capitalise on from now until May to give them the best chance of beating the drop.

Town were forced into a reshuffle from their final game of 2016 – a narrow 3-2 loss at Milton Keynes Dons on Friday night – with the biggest blow the absence of skipper Nathan Thompson as he was unable to recover from injury after limping off early last time out and was not in the matchday 18 at all.

That saw the hosts’ formation change from a 3-5-2 to a 4-4-2, with James Brophy the man to replace Thompson and coming into the side at left-back.

Director of football Tim Sherwood also opted to make three changes in midfield as Anton Rodgers, Michael Doughty and John Goddard all came in at the expense of Sean Murray, Tom Smith and Hylton.

Town were the first side to see a sight of goal when Luke Norris forced a corner on the left off Adam Thompson and from it came the best chance for either side in the opening 45 minutes.

Lloyd Jones was able to knock Rodgers’ delivery down to centre-back partner Raphael Branco, who made room for himself to have a shot but Shrimpers keeper Ted Smith was able to make a smart save from the Brazilian’s powerful effort.

The game then petered out to resemble the aftermath of a New Year’s Eve party, with lifeless performances from both sides and quality action at a premium as both teams lacked any real guile in the final third.

It took until almost the half-hour mark for another notable chance to materialise and again it came from the home team.

Goddard fed Norris on the left following a rapid Town attack and he swung in a cross first time to strike partner Obika inside the six-yard box, although he could only head over the top under pressure from Southend skipper Anton Ferdinand.

The visitors’ attacks had been restricted to a tame Marc-Antoine Fortune effort smothered by Swindon stopper Vigouroux up to that point but home fans in the Town End breathed a collective sigh of relief 10 minutes before the break.

A corner was only half-cleared by the home defence and Southend were able to rebuild through Demetriou, who cut in from the right and sent a teasing pot-shot from 20 yards narrowly wide.

The match soon fizzled out again and there were no further genuine chances to speak of before the players trudged off into the warmth of the changing rooms at the break.

Again it was the hosts who were the more positive side after the break and six minutes into the second period Brophy found Obika in the box and the Town strike was able to roll his man but the shot was tame and Smith gathered easily.

The hosts were now on top of proceedings and threatened again just before the hour mark when Doughty picked out a good run from Goddard, who charged into the box and cut the ball back nicely but no team-mate was there to meet it.

In an effort to get some momentum themselves the Shrimpers introduced former Swindon striker Nile Ranger and he had an instant impact by drawing a free-kick from Banco on the edge of the box. Demetriou’s resulting strike looked headed for the top corner but Vigouroux was able to claw it away.

Town then had to survive a spell of Southend pressure, although they created no real chances of note before the hosts then created the best chance of the game. Obika played a nice one-two with Doughty and got the ball back on the right of the box, before cutting inside onto his left foot and curled a delicious shot towards the top far corner which sailed agonisingly over the top.

A second superb chance then arrived in the space of three minutes as the Shrimpers had their best opportunity. Town were carved open as Southend countered from a corner and the visitors raced in three-on-one on Vigouroux but the Town keeper did brilliantly to deny Demetriou and then Hines on the follow up.

The contest had really opened up as it headed into its final 10 minutes and substitute Hines got the ball in space on the left of the Town box but again the hosts were indebted to Vigouroux as he tipped the powerful effort onto the post and wide.

Danger was coming at either end and Town substitute Hylton almost made an instant impact less than a minute after coming on as he latched onto a long ball forward from Vigouroux but after darting into the box, he could not squeeze his shot past Smith.

Hylton went close again two minutes from time after a good run from Brophy up the left, but he skewed his shot wide from the edge of the box and time soon ran out on both sides to force a winning goal.

SWINDON TOWN: Vigouroux; Furlong, Branco, Jones, Brophy; Rodgers, Thomas (Murray 69), Doughty, Goddard (Hylton 83); Norris, Obika (capt). Subs not used: Henry, Barry, Smith, Stewart, Delfouneso.

SOUTHEND UNITED: Smith; Demetriou, Thompson, Ferdinand (capt), Timlin; Atkinson, Wordsworth (Bridge 88), Leonard, McGlashan (Hines 66); Cox, Fortune (Ranger 55). Subs not used: White, O’Neill, King, Bexon.

Referee: Kevin Johnson

Attendance: 7,102 (648)