Latics rivals confident, but Ranger taints run

NILE RANGER ... the striker has appeared in court this week

SOUTHEND roll up to Athletic's first home game of the month with plenty of wind in their sails, thanks to a nine-match unbeaten run which has turned their campaign from a battle to an opportunity.

Phil Brown's side had been in relegation trouble. But ahead of their visit to SportsDirect.com Park, they now sit in eighth - only a point away from the play-offs.

In-form winger Stephen McLaughlin insists he always had the faith that the Shrimpers could turn around their fortunes.

Last season ended with a whimper, with five straight defeats that included a 1-0 loss to Athletic at Roots Hall thanks to a Curtis Main strike.

And it hardly augured well for a successful season when Brown's men were beaten in all three of their opening games.

"None of us are surprised by what's happened because we always knew we would go on a run," said McLaughlin.

"We had new signings settling in and players coming back from injury towards the start of the season, but everyone has settled in now and we need to keep it going."

Southend responded in the right way to the disappointment of losing to Oxford on penalties in the knock-out stage of the Checkatrade Trophy, seeing off Coventry in an emphatic 3-1 win which featured goals from Anthony Wordsworth, Anton Ferdinand and McLaughlin.

"Coventry have problems off the pitch, but we couldn't afford to be concerned by them," said boss Brown after that game.

"I thought they looked devoid of confidence if I'm honest, but when you have the ability we have in our team then confidence is certainly not something we're struggling with."

There is a dark cloud on Southend's horizon, though, concerning controversial front-man Nile Ranger.

The 25-year-old striker appeared in court yesterday, charged with fraud and money laundering offences.

The offences are alleged to have been committed in February, 2015, relating to the fraudulent obtaining of bank details by telephone from a vulnerable person in order to gain access to the victim's savings.