NILE Ranger bounced back from a testing week to help fire Southend United to a 2-0 win at Oldham Athletic this afternoon.

The Shrimpers striker was in court on Wednesday after being charged with fraud.

But Blues boss Phil Brown opted to keep the forward in the starting line-up and saw his faith rewarded when Ranger brilliantly fired the visitors in front.

Ranger’s afternoon turned slightly sour when he limped off at half-time but his replacement Jermaine McGlashan completed the scoring for the Shrimpers who have now not been beaten in their last 10 home games.

However, it was struggling Oldham who threatened first at Boundary Park as Billy McKay saw a low, left footed shot smothered by Southend goalkeeper Mark Oxley after just eight minutes.

But, after the surviving the scare, the Shrimpers went in front 10 minutes later with Ranger netting a stunning volley.

The game’s opening goal came when Anthony Wordsworth’s right wing corner was played outside the penalty area to Jason Demetriou whose left wing pass found Ranger 12 yards from the game.

The Shrimpers striker then teed the ball up and fired a brilliant volley into the top right hand corner of the net for his third goal of the season.

Blues continued to impress on the ball after taking the lead but, with 36 minutes on the clock, boss Brown was forced into making his first substitution of the afternoon as Simon Cox limped off injured and was replaced in attack by Marc-Antoine Fortune.

Ranger then also picked up what appeared to be a thigh problem just before the break and was replaced by McGlashan who joined Fortune up front.

However, Oldham started the second half on top with Ryan Flynn firing just wide of the left post from 20 yards before former Southend defender Peter Clarke headed straight at Oxley from close range.

Blues soon hit back with Fortune having a scuffed shot tipped wide of the right post by Ripley before Atkinson saw a deflected effort go just wide of the left post after neat approach play from Demetriou.

Moments later, Ryan Leonard’s curling long range shot was pushed wide of the right upright by Ripley before play switched back to the other end of the field with ex Grays striker Freddie Ladapo shooting inches wide of the left post from 20 yards.

But, having withstood the spell of pressure, Southend doubled their lead in the 76th minute with McGlashan netting his first goal for the Shrimpers.

The summer signing robbed Cameron Burgess of the ball on the right flank, strode forward and saw his initial effort saved by Ripley before reacted sharply to bravely slide home the rebound.

The strike made sure of all three points for Blues who then almost made it 3-0 at the death when Wordsworth had a fine free-kick tipped wide of the right post by Ripley.