We came, we saw, we drew; and though the ten men left on the pitch by the end had somehow rescued a point, it was not enough and the Shrimpers will be playing League Two football next season.
With at least 255 of the Roots Hall faithful making the trip to Boundary Park, many taking advantage of the coach travel subsidised down to a fiver, there was plenty of support for the Essex boys, who at least stopped the awful run of nine successive away defeats.
It was two goals in the first six minutes that set up the tempo of the match. The first going to the home side after only a couple. Johnny Herd failed to clear early danger allowing Pawel Abbott to find Danny Whittaker who struck home with a powerful strike.
However, Johnny got back in the act postively with one of those throws causing mayhem in the Latics defence, Pat Baldwin made sure the ball got back in the area and there was Francis Laurent to head home the equaliser.
Just after the quarter hour there was a shock for the Shrimpers with a double blow of injuries.
Skipper Adam Barrett's hamstring seemed to go again allowing Jean-Yves M'Voto to replace him in central defence, while scorer Francis Laurent's hamstring decided to join his captain's in sympathy, and that allowed Jean-Francois Christophe on the pitch.
Just before the break it was Oldham took the lead when Paul Black found himself free down the left, was allowed to go on unchallanged, and shoot past Steve Mildenhall in the Southend goal.
There was still time for Anthony Grant had a one-on-one with former Blues keeper Darryl Flahaven, to equalise again, but the shot stopper on loan from Crystal Palace saved well.
An even better chance when the teams had returned for the second half saw Scott Vernon fail to beat Darryl who pushed the ball to Matt Paterson, he failed to control the ball properly and the moment passed.
Dale Stephens shot a free-kick over the bar for the Latics but the action soon returned to the other end with Paterson smashing the ball over the bar when in a good position.
This saw the end of Matt as Harry Crawford came on, but not long after Christophe limped off, so for the last quarter of the game the Shrimpers were down to ten men.
Even so with 15 minutes left, Crawford crossed well finding M'Voto lurking at the far post and he powered his header into the back of the net to the delight of the travelling fans, though that was to change soon enough..
Lewis Guy wasted a good chance to grab the points for the Latics, but it was not to be as the news filtered through that Southend United would be back in the bottom tier of League football for the first time in five seasons.
Referee - Mr. S. Tanner - 7.
Southend player markings: Mildenhall - 6, Francis - 7, Baldwin - 6, Barrett - 6 (M'Voto 16 - 7), Herd - 6, Laurent - 6 (Christophe 42 - 6), Grant - 6, McCormack - 7, Moussa - 6, Paterson - 5 (Crawford 67 - 7), Vernon - 5.
With at least 255 of the Roots Hall faithful making the trip to Boundary Park, many taking advantage of the coach travel subsidised down to a fiver, there was plenty of support for the Essex boys, who at least stopped the awful run of nine successive away defeats.
It was two goals in the first six minutes that set up the tempo of the match. The first going to the home side after only a couple. Johnny Herd failed to clear early danger allowing Pawel Abbott to find Danny Whittaker who struck home with a powerful strike.
However, Johnny got back in the act postively with one of those throws causing mayhem in the Latics defence, Pat Baldwin made sure the ball got back in the area and there was Francis Laurent to head home the equaliser.
Just after the quarter hour there was a shock for the Shrimpers with a double blow of injuries.
Skipper Adam Barrett's hamstring seemed to go again allowing Jean-Yves M'Voto to replace him in central defence, while scorer Francis Laurent's hamstring decided to join his captain's in sympathy, and that allowed Jean-Francois Christophe on the pitch.
Just before the break it was Oldham took the lead when Paul Black found himself free down the left, was allowed to go on unchallanged, and shoot past Steve Mildenhall in the Southend goal.
There was still time for Anthony Grant had a one-on-one with former Blues keeper Darryl Flahaven, to equalise again, but the shot stopper on loan from Crystal Palace saved well.
An even better chance when the teams had returned for the second half saw Scott Vernon fail to beat Darryl who pushed the ball to Matt Paterson, he failed to control the ball properly and the moment passed.
Dale Stephens shot a free-kick over the bar for the Latics but the action soon returned to the other end with Paterson smashing the ball over the bar when in a good position.
This saw the end of Matt as Harry Crawford came on, but not long after Christophe limped off, so for the last quarter of the game the Shrimpers were down to ten men.
Even so with 15 minutes left, Crawford crossed well finding M'Voto lurking at the far post and he powered his header into the back of the net to the delight of the travelling fans, though that was to change soon enough..
Lewis Guy wasted a good chance to grab the points for the Latics, but it was not to be as the news filtered through that Southend United would be back in the bottom tier of League football for the first time in five seasons.
Referee - Mr. S. Tanner - 7.
Southend player markings: Mildenhall - 6, Francis - 7, Baldwin - 6, Barrett - 6 (M'Voto 16 - 7), Herd - 6, Laurent - 6 (Christophe 42 - 6), Grant - 6, McCormack - 7, Moussa - 6, Paterson - 5 (Crawford 67 - 7), Vernon - 5.