Billericay Town 4-1 Leiston
Margate 1-1 East Thurrock United
Austria 1-0 Republic of Ireland
Luxmbourg 3-2 Northern Ireland
Macedonia 1-2 Scotland
Ukraine 0-0 England
Wales 0-3 Serbia
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FULL TIME: And a welcome, excellent three points for ‘Ricay. After the shock of conceding such an early goal, ‘Ricay responded in superb manner for over an hour. Craig Edwards will be pleased at that but not so pleased with how they switched off for a while afterwards. Still, great result and overall, a fine performance.
Until the weekend, enjoy yourself, and your football.
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90th min – Three minutes of injury time. Elsewhere, fabulous win for Scotland, but decidedly average to awful for the rest. Still, an excellent result here. Probably.
86th min – Sort of fizzling out. Like the feeling in my backside. It’s cold, it’s wet, and that’s just my jeans.
81st min – At long last play switches to the other end, with a lovely run down the right, low centre inside the box, and scramble. Ironically, a really good, competitive ending to the game after a rather one-sided first hour or so.
76th min – Another big warning. Ball in the back of the Billericay net after a cracking shot on the right hand edge of the area. The linesman, though, had the offside flag up. A real let-off for Billericay, that.
71st min – At least the few Leiston fans are trying to enjoy themselves, chanting “We’re gonna win 5-4.” Meanwhile, ‘Ricay have fallen asleep and the visitors have done all the running the last few minutes. Craig boy ain’t happy, I tells ya.
66th min – Craig Edwards still not a happy man, bemoaning a “stonewaller” penalty not being given. Elsewhere, shockers for Wales and Northern Ireland. Blimey O’ Reilly.
61st min – GOAL! ….. BILLERICAY TOWN 4, Leiston 1 Another free kick on the right into the opposite side of the area, and CALLUM DUNNE sends a looping header into the far corner of the net.
Goal Pie.
59th min – More ‘Ricay pressure, a cross from the left, and eventually Junior Luke’s looping header from 10 yards is saved.
56th min – Attendance tonight is 165. As another Billericay free-kick on the right is defended relatively comfortably.
51st min – GOAL! ….. BILLERICAY TOWN 3, Leiston 1 And Richard Halle puts it away after an obvious foul in the box.
Now a bit of a cushion.
50th min – PENALTY FOR ‘RICAY!
8.48pm – KICK OFF! Yep, again.
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HALF TIME: And a thoroughly good one for the home side. After the shock of that early goal, they’ve responded superbly. It’s often the biased who say “there’s only one team in it” but it’s been that way for so much of the game so far. For all ‘Ricay’s dominance, though, Leiston are well in this.
Right, I’m off for a Bovril. To dip my hands in. Laters.
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45th min – A warning for Billericay though. In a rare break, Craig Parker bursts to the edge of the home penalty area and shoots about a foot over the bar. Oof.
40th min – The ‘Ricay fans are in good voice now, and the team are keeping up the pressure, with crosses into the box complimenting their corners. No more clear-cut breaks though. Leiston will be happy to get to the break at 2-1, as another Billericay shot just clears the bar.
33rd min – GOAL! ….. BILLERICAY TOWN 2, Leiston 1 And how they are made to pay! From the goal kick, JUNIOR LUKE runs down the left, into the box, and bangs home a low shot into the far corner of the Blunts Wall End goal.
Proper game changer, that.
31st min – Oh my, oh deary me. Ryan Crisp is through on goal for Leiston, rounds the keeper, and from less than six yards – puts the ball wide of the right hand post. “Unbelievable”, I was uttering before that, describing the Billericay defending. But trust me. Un. Be. Lieve. Able. Miss of the decade.
28th min – “Great football lads” shouts Craig Edwards as another rapid run, this time on the right, ends in a free kick on the touchline. It has been, too. From that, Callum Dunne goes down in the box, but no can do says the ref. Correctly. Bah. Where’s a bad ref when you need one?
22md min – Continual pressure from the hosts, winning a number of corners, and play mostly in the Leiston defensive third of the pitch. Just now a lovely run on the left, low centre, shot from inside the area, and a good save.
17th min – GOAL! ….. BILLERICAY TOWN 1, Leiston 1 It’s been coming. A shot on the edge of the area was tipped over the bar. From the corner, a scramble, and CALLUM DUNNE nods home.
Liquid football!
13th min – Much better. Sean Bonnett-Johnson runs down the left, inside the box, and his low shot is parried at the near post for a corner, which is eventually defended.
8th min – Billericay have been stung into action, understandably. Plenty of pressure, but nothing clear-cut created. But more encouraging as the rain starts to pour. Ugh.
3rd min – GOAL! ….. Billericay Town 0, LEISTON 1 An awful start. A harmless looking centre on the left, but neither goalie called it or defender picked up RYAN CRISP who had the easiest of tasks from about eight yards.
Ouch.
7.44pm – KICK OFF! Oh yes!
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7.42pm – The teams come out to the odd cheer, from some very odd people. Billericay in blue shirts and socks with white shorts, Leiston in all red.
7.40pm – Team News: Billericay Town go with
7.38pm – Meanwhile, well done Nor’n I’ron, slaughtering Luxembourg by 1-0 presently. I still remember them from Spain ’82. Especially that gorgeous blonde who followed Gerry Armstrong around the pitch after they beat the hosts. Yummy.
7.35pm – Team news will be here when my fingers have warmed up. My but it’s a cold one tonight. And the weather.
7.25pm – Elsewhere, it’s World Cup night. Not that I know too much about it, apart from England and the two Irish sides being in contention, and Scotland and Wales only going to Brazil next year to take part in the Rio carnival.
I’m sure some people care, but as far as I’m concerned, it just means a month of blokes who know nothing about football crowding out pubs with their loud and stupid opinions next summer. It’s bad enough as it is on Sundays but, gaaaaah, spare us from them, someone up above. Please!
7.15pm – Welcome to a cloudy, slightly chilly, but very welcoming New Lodge for tonight’s Ryman League festival of frollicking fun.
It’s not been fun much, mind, for the hosts. Just one win and six points so far leaves Craig Edwards side perilously close to the drop zone.
Standing in their way this evening is a thoroughly nailed on mid-table Leiston,but win three wins to their name already, will be dangerous opponents. As well having beaten ‘Ricay 4-2 in their last visit here.
It’s going to be an intriguing, absorbing evening, as the hosts seek to finally kick-start their season.
1 – Billericay v Leiston Preview
As ever, refresh the page every few minutes, and all the glamour and glitz of a cool Tuesday night at New Lodge will be yours. Good innit.
