GARY Waddock feels Southend United have given themselves a good chance of staying up this season.

Waddock, who had nine games as the Shrimpers’ caretaker manager last term, was back at Roots Hall with Cambridge United on Tuesday night.

And, despite the U’s securing a 2-1 victory against Blues, Waddock is certain Mark Molesley’s side are now more than capable of working their way out of trouble.

“I think they’ve got a very good chance of getting out of it now,” said Waddock. They’ve changed things around since the start of the season.

"They’ve brought in some more experienced players whereas at the beginning it was a younger group.

“With the experience and the way the team are going about their business they’re going to make it very, very difficult for the opposition.

"They had won the last four home games and you can tell they’ve turned a corner. Their form has been good and they made it very tough for us.”

The Shrimpers remain bottom of the table despite their recent improvements but now sit just a point from safety.

However, they were unable to build upon a strong first half showing against Cambridge as the visitors fought back from a goal down to triumph 2-1. And Waddock admitted it had been a hard fought win.

“It was always going to be a tough game and the conditions played a part too,” said the 58-year-old.

“Southend put us under a lot of pressure in the first half but in the second half we had the advantage of the wind as well. It was that old cliché of a game of two halves really.

“We could have gone in one or two more goals down but we always felt, with the wind behind us, we could put Southend under pressure in the second half.

"Ultimately we got the two goals and went on to win the game.”

The victory put Cambridge top of the League Two table.

And Waddock is relishing his role as assistant manager with the U’s, where he works alongside boss Mark Bonner who previously spent six years coaching within Blues’ academy.

“It’s been good and there are some good people here,” said Waddock.

“Mark has been really good and so have the staff.

"It’s been good for me to go in and settle in. The players have been consistent too and we’ve picked up some good results on the road.

“We’ve backed that up with some good results at home. It’s a nice position to be in and it’s a nice points tally we’ve got but there’s a long way to go.

“We have a lot of difficult games to be played and it’s very tight at the top, just like it is at the bottom as well.

"Anybody can beat anybody and it’s a tough League.”

Southend are certainly finding that this season but Waddock hopes the Shrimpers can avoid a second successive relegation.

“It’s a good club and nobody wants to see the position they’re in currently,” he added.