JASON Demetriou felt Southend United produced their best team performance of the season to see off Oldham Athletic on Saturday.

A penalty from Demetriou and a second half volley from Josh Wright saw the Shrimpers secure all three points at Roots Hall.

And Demetriou was full of praise for Blues’ performance.

“It was a massive win for us,” said the right-back.

“In the last two games we’ve been really good and we just haven’t been getting the results we deserved.

“Oldham are a good side but we dealt with them well and I thought it was probably the best team performance of the season.”

The win enabled the Shrimpers to surge up to ninth in the League One standings and also saw Demetriou end Blues’ barren run from the penalty spot.

Phil Brown’s side had missed four of their last five spot-kicks.

And Demetriou was therefore delighted to see his effort hit the back of the net to break the deadlock.

“There’s always pressure when you take a penalty and it was in the back of my mind that I had to score because of the four we had missed,” said the defender.

“Luckily the keeper went the wrong way and I’m definitely the penalty taker now.

“When I was in the youth team at Leyton Orient I used to take the penalties. One season I scored 18 goals and 11 of them were penalties so I felt confident taking them and was happy to step forward.”

However, Demetriou was also heavily involved in a penalty at the other end of the field as his challenge on Rob Hunt resulted in Oldham being awarded a spot-kick, which Craig Davies had saved by Mark Oxley. But the Shrimpers’ full-back did not agree with the decision.

“I was really angry about it being given because I didn’t think it was fair,” said Demetriou.

“The ref said I went through the back of their player but I couldn’t have done really because of how far the ball moved. He did say it might have been the wrong decision but that’s football.”

Oxley’s superb save meant the decision did not prove crucial as the goalkeeper again proved hard to beat from 12 yards.

The Shrimpers shot-stopper also denied Blackpool’s Jimmy Ryan from the spot following another challenge from Demetriou.

And the 30-year-old joked he was doing all he could to help Oxley shine.

“I’m trying to get him a new contract,” laughed Demetriou.

“The one against Blackpool I’ll hold my hands up for and it was probably a penalty but this one wasn’t.”