SOUTHEND United banished their away day blues with a commanding 3-0 victory at struggling Oldham Athletic tonight.

The Shrimpers had gone six games without a win on their travels.

But an early effort from Theo Robinson and a second half brace from Simon Cox saw Chris Powell’s side triumph at Boundary Park.

Blues took just five minutes to break the deadlock, with Robinson again on target.

The Shrimpers striker – who netted a hat-trick in Saturday’s 4-0 win against MK Dons - reacted sharply after Shayon Harrison’s header from Stephen McLaughlin left wing corner had bounced back off the right post and fired home from close range.

The shell-shocked hosts soon wasted a fine opportunity to draw back level with Eoin Doyle firing wide of the left post from six yards.

And Blues almost immediately took advantage with Robinson teeing up McLaughlin whose low right footed shot struck the legs of Oldham goalkeeper Johny Placide before flying over the crossbar.

Moments later, Harrison saw a goalbound effort blocked by Brian Wilson before Oldham came agonisingly close to drawing back level when Blues goalkeeper Mark Oxley seemed to have let a Doyle header squirm past him, only to somehow stop it just centimetres in front of goal-line.

Oxley, who was facing his former side, then kept out a long range effort from Doyle before the Latics skipper wasted a huge chance to equalise on the stroke of half-time as he slid the ball wide of the right post from close range.

After the break, Doyle saw another effort parried out by Oxley before Blues hit back to double their lead in the 52nd minute, with Cox on target.

The Shrimpers striker saw his initial effort blocked by Placide before firing the rebound into the right hand side of the net with his left foot.

The goal was the first Southend had scored in the second half of an away game since September.

But, just four minutes later, Blues were celebrating another as McLaughlin’s left wing cross found Cox at the far post who chested the ball down before firing home from close range.

Relegation threatened Oldham replied with substitute Aaron Amadi-Holloway having a close range shot impressively blocked by Oxley.

Shrimpers boss Powell responded by making his first change of the night in the 69th minute with Freddie Ladapo replacing Robinson in attack.

Moments later, the Shrimpers came close to extending their lead when Jason Demetriou saw a 25 yard free-kick pushed onto the right post.

But Blues - who brought on youngster Lewis Gard for his first team debut late on - were then saved by the woodwork themselves as Gevaro Nepomuceno hit the post.