Southend roared to a 4-1 victory at Bury in League One
CONTROVERSIAL striker Nile Ranger repaid some of the faith shown in him by manager Phil Brown as he cracked a clinical double in Southend’s convincing win at Bury.
Ranger, 25, who has experienced numerous off-field problems since the age of 15, proved too hot to handle with his first goals for the Shrimpers.
Brown, who handed Ranger a season’s contract in the summer, said: “As soon as he starts scoring goals regularly he’ll cause real problems for defences.
“That’ll put a smile on his face, and it’ll put a smile on my face.
“There’s still issues there on and off the field, but we need to just keep trying to get that smile back with Nile.”
The Shrimpers are now unbeaten in five games and just two points shy of the play-off positions.
Brown added: “The mentality and the attitude was bang on. I’m delighted to have scored four goals at Bury. The one downside has been the referee costing us a clean sheet.
“I’m pleased we’ve laid a good foundation though. The quality of our play was right up there at times and this sets us up nicely for what is going to be a tough period.”
It proved to be a barnstorming first half at Gigg Lane. The Shrimpers roared out of the blocks, racing into a two-goal lead inside 13 minutes.
Ranger struck first, sliding a shot home neatly from the edge of the box to beat Ben Williams. Midfielder Michael Timlin was again the provider four minutes later, with Simon Cox the beneficiary this time as he took a touch before beating Williams from 15 yards.
The Shakers halved the deficit after Danny Mayor was bundled over in the box by Ben Coker, with James Vaughan slotting in his sixth goal of the season from the penalty spot.
Bury full-back Neil Danns saw a deflected shot hit the crossbar early in the second half, but Ranger effectively sealed the deal for the Shrimpers as he converted Cox’s cross in the 61st minute.
When Stephen McLaughlin smashed home from 30 yards to make it 4-1 with a quarter-of-an-hour left, many Bury fans headed for the exits.
The pressure increases on manager Dave Flitcroft, whose team have now lost seven league matches on the spin.
“We caught Cox and Ranger on a bad day for us,” he said. “They were very clinical and that’s been the difference.
“I was still disappointed with the goals we conceded. It’s not good to concede four at home and I can understand the fans’ frustrations.
“We’ve got to show more resolve, more steel. We all know it’s not good enough.
“We'll be in training in the morning and I’ll speak to the players and just try and flush out those inadequacies as best I can.
“This has always been a long-term project and we have to keep giving our best in order to turn things around.”