SOUTHEND United’s 2-1 defeat at Charlton Athletic extended the Shrimpers’ unexpectedly slow start to the season.

After gathering momentum during the second half of the previous campaign and having missed out on the play-off places by just a point, hopes were high of Blues mounting a serious push for promotion and making a strong start.

Heavy investment in the squad – with the arrivals of Michael Kightly, Rob Kiernan and Michael Turner – boosted those hopes and so did an impressive opening day victory Blackburn Rovers.

But since then things have started to slowly unravel for the Shrimpers, who have now gone seven games without a win and have taken just three points from a possible 15 during their last five League outings.

Defeat at Charlton extended that bad run of results at the weekend and also continued Blues’ wretched record against the Addicks.

The Shrimpers have now gone nine games without beating Charlton and have still not triumphed at the Valley since 1996.

However, Southend competed well for the first hour at the Valley and wasted the best opportunity of the first half when Nile Ranger volleyed wide of the target when he should have done better.

The chance came during Ranger’s first start since being released from prison last month and his return adds an extra dimension to the Shrimpers’ attack.

The striker is understandably short of fitness and match sharpness but did well to last the 90 minutes and will now be looking to repay the faith Blues have shown in him amid his off-field troubles.

But Ranger’s return to the team was ultimately unsuccessful at the weekend as Charlton scored twice in the space of four second half minutes to condemn the Shrimpers to another defeat.

And at the heart of their triumph was boyhood Blues fan Ricky Holmes.

The winger – who was in the Shrimpers academy for four years as a youngster – was a constant livewire for Charlton and also bagged what proved to be the winning goal of the game when he netted an accurate low effort from long range.

The goal was Holmes’ third of the season and secured high-flying Charlton a fourth win in succession. But their joy was in stark contrast to the Shrimpers, who now find themselves sitting 17th in the League One standings.

Tables, of course, mean very little at this time of year, but it further underlines the struggles Southend are facing.

Despite those difficulties, Blues remain a point better off than at this stage last season and their previous campaign did not click into gear until mid-October.

However, that cannot happen again if Southend are to become serious contenders for a top six finish.

Blues boss Phil Brown will desperately be thinking of ways to rectify the situation, but continues to be thwarted by a lengthy injury list.

But Anthony Wordsworth – one of the Shrimpers’ most influential performers – joined in the pre-match warm-up at the Valley to suggest he could soon be returning to action. Such a scenario would significantly strengthen a Southend side who have triumphed in just six of the last 24 matches Wordsworth has failed to start.

Twenty points have been taken from a possible 57 during the League games in that period to further underline Wordsworth’s importance to the team.

His impending return could also enable Michael Timlin to line-up at left-back, where Blues have looked a little weak since Ben Coker’s broken leg.

More centrally, a lack of mobility remains a concern while the side also appears to be lacking in confidence and creativity with some consistent performers from last season looking a little out of sorts in the early stages of the current campaign.

And, while there remains plenty of time to turn things around, those issues must be resolved if the Shrimpers are to get back on track and start working their way up the standings.