SOUTHEND United slipped out of the League One play-off places after suffering a 2-1 defeat at Charlton Athletic this afternoon.

A deflected effort from substitute Jake Forster-Caskey condemned Blues to a second successive defeat which saw Phil Brown’s side move down to seventh in the table.

The Shrimpers – who were roared on by more than 2,500 travelling fans at the Valley – were without the injured Nile Ranger and Anthony Wordsworth in their starting line-up.

And Charlton took full advantage, opening the scoring after just six minutes with boyhood Blues fan Ricky Holmes firing them in front.

The winger picked the ball up on the left flank and, with Jason Demetriou backing off, he advanced into the penalty and unleashed a low, left footed shot which seemed to fly through the legs of Blues’ on loan goalkeeper Christian Walton at the near post before nestling in the back of the net.

However, the Shrimpers reacted well to going behind with Theo Robinson sending a left footed shot straight at Charlton goalkeeper Declan Rudd before equalising in the 11th minute, with White the unlikely goalscorer.

The defender had not netted since scoring at Colchester in December 2015 but he made no mistake in heading home a left wing corner from Michael Timlin after being left completely unmarked at the far post.

But, after the equaliser, goalscoring chances remain few and far between until Theo Robinson saw a powerful effort diverted wide of the near post by the legs of Rudd in the opening action of the second half.

However, Charlton soon hit back and came within a whisker of regaining the lead in the 57th minute when the Shrimpers somehow survived a goalmouth scramble in which the ball appeared to hit the post before also being blocked on the goal-line.

After surviving the scare, Blues immediately replied with Stephen McLaughlin beating the offside trap to charge into the left hand side of the penalty area only to be halted by Rudd as he attempted to move the ball around the goalkeeper.

In a further bid to go in front, Blues boss Phil Brown made his first substitution of the game in the 63rd minute as Jermaine McGlashan replaced Luke Amos.

The move saw Will Atkinson move into central midfield with McGlashan featuring down the right flank before the Shrimpers were forced into making a second change just seven minutes later as Luke O’Neill came on to replace an injured White.

The alteration saw Michael Timlin moving to left-back before Charlton began to get back on top with a spell of pressure which resulted in them regaining the lead in the 79th minute.

Holmes was this time the provider as his right wing cross drifted over the head of Anton Ferdinand before being met by Forster-Caskey whose effort seemed to go in off Adam Thompson via the underside of the crossbar.

Blues boss Brown responded by bringing Frank Nouble on for Robinson but the Addicks threatened next with Josh Magennis seeing a close range effort ruled out for offside.

In reply, McLaughlin then sent a low shot straight at Rudd before the Irishman’s 25 yard free-kick was pushed wide of the left post by the on loan Norwich City goalkeeper.

But, right at the death, the Shrimpers wasted a clearer chance to score when Nouble headed McGlashan’s left wing cross wide of the right post from inside the six yard box.