SOUTHEND United repaid their out of pocket fans with a stunning 5-2 win at Oldham Athletic tonight.

The Shrimpers’ travelling supporters were charged £22 to watch the clash at Boundary Park while the home fans had to pay just £5.

But it was Phil Brown’s side who had the last laugh as Blues cashed in on some sloppy defending to score five times on the road since running riot at Northampton Town in January 2012.

Jack Payne, David Mooney, David Worrall, Will Atkinson and Luke Prosser were all on target for Southend.

And it was Payne who put them in front after just five minutes.

The attacking midfielder was teed up by Mooney who nearly rolled a right wing cross from Ben Coker into his path before the youngster curled an emphatic left footed effort into the bottom left hand corner of the net from just 12 yards.

However, Oldham came close to equalising 13 minutes later when Mark Yeates’ right wing corner was headed onto the left post by Michael Higdon before James Wilson lashed the rebound wide of the same upright.

After surviving the scare, Southend soon pushed for a second with Mooney sending a deflected shot over the crossbar from close range But Mooney was not to be denied for long and the former Leyton Orient forward doubled the Shrimpers’ lead just two minutes before the break.

The goal again came following right wing cross from Coker which was headed back into the box by Ryan Leonard before the ball eventually dropped to an offside looking Mooney who poked the ball under the advancing David Cornell to score.

But Cornell’s opposite number Daniel Bentley then had to be on his best form just before the break to palm away a close range header from ex Blues youngster Dominic Poleon.

That maintained Southend’s two goal cushion at the break but, just three minutes after the restart, Brown’s side made it 3-0, with Worrall on target.

The winger, who had a loan spell at Oldham at the start of 2014, was fortuitously picked out by a deflected looping shot from Kevan Hurst and bravely headed home at the far post.

However, Worrall was clattered by a cluster of bodies in bagging Blues’ third goal and, after a lengthy spell of treatment to the side of the goal, he made way for Glen Rea.

Oldham boss David Dunn responded by making his first change as Ricardo Fuller replaced Richard Eckersley and, with 56 minutes on the clock, the Latics got back onto the score-sheet with Higdon firing home from 12 yards following a slip from Adam Barrett.

Fuller then sent an effort from the edge of the penalty area just inches wide of the left post before Bentley did well to tip Higdon’s header wide of the right post.

With the Latics remaining on top, they soon had strong shouts for a penalty waved away by referee Darren Bond when Barrett appeared to have Higdon in a headlock when attempting to deal with a left wing cross.

Shrimpers boss Brown responded by making his second substitution of the night in the 71st minute with Joe Pigott replacing Mooney in attack before the game exploded into life.

The excitement started with 76 minutes on the clock when Hurst brought Joseph Mills down in the area and Bond immediately pointed to the spot.

However, Higdon’s effort to the right hand side was well saved by Bentley.

But the left off was only temporary for Blues as Mills quickly chipped the ball back to the far post where Higdon was on hand to head home from six yards.

The Shrimpers’ travelling fans were now starting to fear their team could be about to throw away another lead.

But, within 60 seconds, the visitors restored a two goal cushion with Atkinson bundling home a left wing cross from Hurst to bag his first goal of the season.

Brown responded by making a third swap as Prosser came on for Payne to shore things up at the back.

However, the defender unexpectedly popped up to score the Shrimpers’ fifth of the night as he rose above Cornell to head home from close range to complete the scoring on an unforgettable night of action for the Essex outfit.