Ryman League Premier Division
BILLERICAY TOWN 2 LEISTON 0
Phoenix FM’s JOHN CHUBB reporting from New Lodge
Billericay Town continued their push for a play-off spot with a win over fellow promotion chasers Leiston, in front of a bumper home crowd.
Blues’ owner/caretaker manager Glenn Tamplin was clearly upset by Tuesday’s defeat at home to Dulwich Hamlet, just 3 days after seeing his side gain a 3-0 victory against the same team at their Champion Hill ground. He responded by halving the ticket prices for this match, and made a full page apology to the supporters in the match programme.
Tamplin made one change to his starting line up, former Ipswich and Colchester midfielder Bryon Lawrence coming in for recent big name signing Jamie O’Hara, who dropped to the bench. Leiston manager Glenn Driver included ex-Billericay midfielder Conor Hubble in his side.
The first effort of any note came on 8 minutes, when Blues’ right back Tambeson Eyong fired a right foot shot wide. Then 6 minutes later, a great strike from Matty Johnson was saved superbly by Leiston goalkeeper Ashlee Jones, but the resulting corner provided the first goal of the afternoon when Jake Robinson fired the ball home to score his second Billericay goal since his arrival from Hemel Hempstead Town.
On 18 minutes Ricay nearly doubled their lead, when a header from Joe Ellul was superbly turned over by Jones. The corner that followed saw Billy Bricknell find the net, but referee Joshua Few spotted an infringement and the goal was not allowed to stand. The home side were creating all the chances in the opening third of the game, Lawrence going close with a free kick in the 27th minute.
Leiston’s first real chance came with 33 minutes on the clock, when an effort from Matt Blake – who has scored 40 goals for the Suffolk side this season and was reported to have been a recent Billericay target – was stopped by Alan Julian. And it was Blake who provided another effort 3 minutes before half time, but this went over the bar. But then Blues left back Oliver Sprague doubled Ricay’s lead seconds later, with an excellent effort to make it 2-0 to the home side.
In the second half the visitors were still finding it difficult to break down a resilient home side. Right back Ollie Brown had an effort on goal but Julian comfortably saved it. The Blues were struggling to add to their lead though, as Leiston were defending well.
With 15 minutes left the away team came close to getting back into the match when former Ipswich defender Jack Ainsley set up Seb Dunbar, whose effort sailed across the face of the goal before being cleared to safety. But Billericay finished the match with a clean sheet, and more importantly three more valuable points to continue their quest for a top 5 finish.
Billericay: Julian, Eyong, Sprague (O’Hara 45), Konchesky, Swaine, Ellul, Lawrence, Johnson, Bricknell (Fitzsimons75), Cunnington, Robinson (Assombalonga 45).
Leiston: Jones, Dunbar, Brown, Ainsley, Jefford, Hutchings, Hubble (Blades 70), Heath, Blake, Muir, Francis (Pelling 62).
Attendance: 1453
After the game I spoke to Glenn Tamplin and asked him for his thoughts on the game. He replied, “After Tuesday’s game we had a conscience meeting and a lot of home truths were said…..today was just the response I wanted”.
