Billericay Town 2-4  Leiston

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FULL TIME:  And there we have it, a more than useful run-out for Billericay, and excellent result for the visitors.  Make no mistake about it, Leiston will be up there in the Ryman Premier this season.

Boss Craig Edwards, though, will know his squad have a little work to do.  Some excellent spells, but concentrations levels may well be looked it.

Anyway, it’s all be jolly good fun.  Next up will be Billericay’s opener against Truro.  Until then, enjoy the summer.

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88th min – ‘Ricay try to come back with a couiple of corners on the left, they come to nothing, but only after one superb save, tipping a 15 yard shot over the bar.

85th min – GOAL! ….. Billericay Town 2,  LEISTON 4 That’s it.  The visitors have given the hosts the run-around in the second half.  Another centre from the right after a pacy attack, and tapped in on the edge of the six yard box.

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80th min – Ooh, that was close.  Not to a goal but ruining my afternoon.  Leiston boot the ball out after some home pressure, and the ball ends about 3 inches away from the netbook.  If it had hit it, forget the football, he’d have been for the high jump.  Harumph.

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75th min – Leiston have certainly had the better of the exchanges but Billericay break with supersub Junior Dadson.  He chases a lost cause, gets to bye line inside the area on the left, but his low hard centre across goal is cleared.

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68th min – That really should have been 4-2.   The visitors delightfully switch play to the right again, it gets centred into the six yard box, but the final touch goes a foot wide of the far post.  Great football though.

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65th min – GOAL! ….. Billericay Town 2,  LEISTON 3 The warnings haven’t been heeded.  A breka this time on the left.  It’s centred and the visiting forward smacks it home from 10 yards.  It was the number 10, too, but didn’t catch the name as my hearing’s a bit iffy.

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64th min – Lots of shouting, lots of effort, nothing further created from either side.  The first massive shout of “maaaaaaaaaaaaan onnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!” from a keeper has been heard though.

59th min – Ooh, that was a glorious chance.  The visitors this time attack down the right, and their striker bears down on goal, inside the area.  He shoots towards the near post, though, and Dale Brightly saves.

57th min – But ooh, Leiston break on the left and their low centre flashes across the face of goal.  Anybody’s game, this.

55th min – Ooh, that was close too.  A Billericay free kick, central position, 25 yards out.

54th min – Nothing clear cut, very competitive, but no chances created.  Come on, fate, I’ve tempted you.

4pm – KICK OFF! Again

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HALF TIME:  And the dust settles on a cracking first half.  Really competitive and just what Blues boss Craig Edwards would want, seeing where they are up to speed and where they need to work a bit more on.  Leiston are clearly a decent side too.

Right, time for a Bovril and a bland salad.  Laters.

43rd min – Elsewhere, it’s FA Cup day.  Not strictly local, with Yarmouth beating Barkingside, but one of those sides could face East Thurrock United in a later round.  And Great Wakering Rovers lead at Woodbridge.

39th min – GOAL! ….. BILLERICAY TOWN 2,  Leiston 2 You can’t get any more dangerous than that!  Another centre in from the left and this time JAY MAY gets on the end of it and makes no mistake from 8 yards out.  A crackerjack of a game!

38th min – Ooh ooh!  That was even more dangerous.  Billericay get a corner on the left, and Rob Swaine finally gets a header in at the near post, but it flashes agonisingly across the face of the goal and out.

36th min – Ooh, that was dangerous.  Leiston beat the offside trap with a long ball upfield.  Chris Wild, though, retrieves the situation and calmly heads back to Dale Brightly.

31st min – GOAL! ….. Billericay Town 1,  LEISTON 2 And a cracker it was too.  It all came from heavily Billericay pressure too.  They broke out superbly, and RHYS HENRY grabbed his second goal of the afternoon with a cracking strike just inside the area.

29th min – Harrison Chatting is as nippy as ever.  He chased down a Leiston back-pass, and turned a comfortable kick into a last second jink away from danger.

27th min – Play resumes with the Blues back on the attack and a shot from 20 yards in a central position goes narrowly wide of the right hand post.  That’s better.

23rd min – Play is stopped while  Lechmere is treated for a knock.  The hugantic Chris Wild takes a drink.  I’ll show you the pic soon but I needed to readjust the height lens thingy on my phone.

20th min – Leiston are looking sharp.  Their left back makes a surging run to the ‘Ricay bye-line, turns the defender inside out, but his low centre thankfully evades the two onrushing forwards.  Good stuff though.

17th min – The visitors come forward and have a crack themselves from the edge of the area but Dale Brightly makes a comfortable save.

13th min – GOAL ….. BILLERICAY TOWN 1,  Leiston 1 Striker!  Leiston again defend a set piece well, but GLEN POOLE gets the ball around 22 yards out, and hits a superb low drive into the bottom right hand corner of the net.  Proper game this!

11th min – My, that was a loud burp from Greg Oates.  Every one of the hundred or so paying punters heard that one.

8th min – The hosts, attacking the Blunts Wall Road End goal, have got over that initial shock and are pressing, but nothing clear cut created.  The Ryman One North champions have done theit homework and defending set pieces well.

3rd min – GOAL! ….. Billericay Town 0,  LEISTON 1 I said it’d be a good run-out but didn’t realise it’d be that tough.  The New Lodge back four hesitate inside their own area, and pay for it when Dale Brightly is lobbed from about 10 yards.  Oops

2nd min – Early pressure from Billericay results in a free kick from about 25 yards out in a central position.  But Glen Poole’s shot comes off the wall and is subsequently defended easily

3.00pm – KICK OFF!  Oh yes!

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2.58pm – The team come out to the usual Rocky theme and a fairly paltry crowd.

2.55pm – Due to the wonders of modern technology, meaning the patchy broadband connection and me bringing the wrong lead along, audio reports could well be scarce.  That’s a Brucey bonus for you.

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Anyway, here’s the ‘Ricay team:  Brightly, Oates, Obamwonyi, Radley, Swaine(c), Wild, Lechmere, Poole, May, Osbourne, Chatting.

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2.45pm – Ooh, my, it’s hot, and not just on the pitch.  A very warm, nay boiling, welcome to a sun drenched New Lodge where Billericay Town will be winding their pre-season programme down against a decent looking Leiston.

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Today’s visitors had a memorable 2011/12, winning the Ryman One North title and promotion to the Premier division into the bargain.  It should be a good test.

Billericay, of course, are no strangers to be tested by East Anglian outfits, having come away from Lowestoft Town last week with a 1-0 win.  Predictably, it was a Rob Swaine header from a free kick!

But why not play to your strengths?  There was talk amongst other clubs supporters about the style of both Billericay and Hornchurch’s play, but if you have a group of players who are more effective at set pieces than others, why not use that advantage?  And after all, the likes of Harrison Chatting show that ‘Ricay clearly have gifted footballers in their ranks.

Anyhow, off my soapbox I get!  Just keep refreshing this page every few minutes, and tune into the wonderful Dave Turner on Between The Lines from 4pm –  online, or via your tune-in radio app,  or on 98FM – and this afternoon’s festivities will be brought to your very eyes and ears.  Good innit.