Pre-season friendly
BILLERICAY TOWN 1 LEYTON ORIENT 2
Phoenix FM’s JOHN CHUBB reporting from the AGP Arena
Billericay Town were narrowly beaten by the odd goal in this warm up match against a Leyton Orient side preparing for their first National League campaign.
The Blues took to the field without ex-Tottenham man Jamie O’Hara, who had a hamstring issue, but Ricay’s latest star signing Jermaine Pennant was in the starting line up.
The O’s grabbed an early lead after 6 minutes, striker Macauley Bonne heading home from a cross to the right from Romauld Boco’s cross. From that point, other than a couple more Orient chances there was nothing much to report until the 27 minute, a decent 1-2 between attacking right back Jake Caprice and Boco provided a great chance, which set up Caprice who fired a great effort in off the left post to make it 2-0 to the visitors.
In the 36th minute the Blues were awarded a free kick outside the penalty area, and former Arsenal and Liverpool man Pennant gave his new side their first real chance of the game, with a fine effort which was well saved by Orient keeper Charlie Grainger. But shortly afterwards the home side his side got back into the game, with new signing from Ebbsfleet United Sam Deering heading home from close range from Pennant’s near post ball.
After the break Billericay pushed forward and had a few chances, including a low effort from Deering. Some vital saves from Grainger kept Orient in the game , including a stop from Joe Ellul and two more efforts from the impressive Deering. Then Louie Theophanous came close in the 74th minute, but the former Chelmsford striker failed to find an equaliser with his headed effort going off the inside of the post.
Striker Jake Robinson then came close for the Blues but his header, in spite of getting past Grainger was thwarted by the post.
With 12 minutes from time Orient came close to adding a third, but a superb clearance from former West Ham and England full back Paul Konchesky – putting in a characteristically solid performance at the back for the Blues – stopped the visitors from adding to their lead. Then at the other end Ricay came close with an effort that was well saved by the stretching figure of Grainger in the Orient goal, and Robinson was twice denied an equaliser late on.
Billericay Town: Julian, Payne (Urquhart 45), Konchesky, Ellul, Swaine, Deering (Cunnington 76), Davies, Bricknell (Robinson 62), Theophanous (Walker 74), Chambers, Pennant.
Leyton Orient: Grainger, Caprice, Coulson, Elokobi, Widdowson, Lawless, Clay, Boco (Trialist B 62), McAnuff, Mooney, Bonne.
After the game Billericay Town assistant manager Harry Wheeler said “We showed that we can compete….we expected them to be in front of us (early on) as their season starts a week earlier than hours, so we expected them to be….after the first 20 minutes when we got used to the pace – and they’re the best side we’ve played so far (pre-season) – we settled in and showed we can compete.”
“I thought in the second half we were the better side”.
I asked Wheeler how he thought pre-season had gone so far, and he replied, “Very good….the sessions have been really good, and the main thing is the rapport the lads have had which has been really impressive…we’re going to incorporate different kinds of training this week, and by the start on the 12th (August) we’ll be good to go”. He also praised the contribution of Jermaine Pennant, saying “Jermaine’s contribution was very good today….his defensive game is as good as his attacking game”.
Jermaine Pennant then told me he hasn’t yet signed a deal to join Billericay on a permanent basis, and has also had offers from elsewhere, so has yet to decide whether he will actually join the club.
“An offer has been put forward…nothing’s been signed…I’ll speak to my family and make a decision this week”, he said.
