Billericay Town moved two points clear at the top of the National South table after a hard fought 1-0 win at home to battling Gloucester City. Moses Emmanuel proved to be the saviour, winning the game for the Blues with a first half close range finish.
The visitors can consider themselves unlucky to leave empty-handed after a performance that suggested incoming boss, Chris Todd, has promising foundations on which to build. A man of the match performance from Billericay Town goalkeeper, Alan Julian, secured the points for the Essex side.
Photo: Nicky Hayes
In what may be one of the last weekend’s of the year for warm weather, the sun shone brightly for Non-League Day. The initiative, launched eight years ago, is scheduled to coincide with an international break. A celebration of volunteer-led community football, the event has become a key fixture on the football calendar.
With a large crowd in attendance – and a higher occurrence of Ipswich Town and West Ham United fan wear on display than usual – it was clear that many took the opportunity to take in new surroundings and sample grass roots football.
In a game settled by a single goal, there was no lack of excitement for the spectators, with both sides ensuring everybody went home well entertained.
Billericay started strongly taking a firm hold of the match and dominating possession. In the opening minutes, Sam Deering signalled Billericay’s attacking intent with a shot that rolled wide. On six minutes, Jake Robinson, had the ball in the net with a looping header over goalkeeper, Andy Hannah. Adjudged offside, it would be a frustrating afternoon for the leading marksman in the National South.
A piece of magic from the home side’s leading creative force, Deering, saw him serve an inviting cross onto the head of the waiting Robinson. A well-executed diving header drew the first of several good saves from the Tigers goalkeeper. Back in the side, after the departure of Matt Yates, Hannah deserves substantial credit for an outstanding performance in what was his first game of the season.
The Blues kept attacking and, in testament to the work of the new management team, passing combinations seemed to work all over the pitch. Midfield rotation between Jamie O’Hara, Deering, and Alfie Potter was particularly impressive. Stationed on the right wing, Potter was quick to spin inside, run past covering defenders and, on 15 minutes, fire a shot just wide from a central position.
Photo: Nicky Hayes
Somewhat ironically, the home side forced their next opening on 25 minutes from a long ball. Deering, proving that he can take any route when required, sent a flighted delivery over the defence. Robinson, with pace that belies a man soon to celebrate his 32nd birthday, scampered after the pass. Faced by three defenders, he shot hard and low at the near post. Hannah, alert as ever, was not caught out and pushed the ball out for a corner.
Gloucester City held firm under immense pressure during the first half hour. The shape of the team, organised in what appeared to be 4-2-3-1, looked solid. The Tigers have a good defensive record, conceding 13 in 11 matches before today, and resilience was clear to see. Visiting captain, Sam Avery, led by example, winning a number of early important headers. Spencer Hamilton was muscular but legitimate in his interventions at left back in place of injured, Noah Smerdon.
Weathering the storm, the Tigers started to fashion clearcut chances of their own. On 33 minutes, French striker, Fabian Robert, attempted a flicked volley on goal that went over. With a burst of pace, and ability to beat his man, Robert operated just behind the main striker. Opportunities to turn and run with the ball were tightly policed by the Blues midfield. Several minutes later, Billericay fans had their hearts in their mouths as Tigers central midfielder, Chris Knowles, almost opened the scoring with a glanced header inches wide of the post.
On 39 minutes, the Blues took the lead. Deering was the instigator, intercepting a clearance to set Ademola Shokunbi on his way in an advanced position. His early shot started a mad scramble in the Gloucester City ranks as the ball ran loose. Robinson reacted quickest to fire an effort on goal that Hannah saved. In close attendance, his strike partner Emmanuel seized on the rebound to smash home from close range. The strike was his ninth goal in all competitions this season.
Photo: Nicky Hayes
A fine through ball finding Joe Parker in space could have brought an immediate equaliser for the visitors. Just outside the penalty area, the Gloucester City right back sent a delicate dink over Alan Julian from just outside the penalty area. With a fraction too much lift, the ball drifted onto the roof of the net. The away side finished the half strongly forcing a flying save from Julian after a free kick.
Fortunes turned in the second period and, after paying too much respect to the league leaders, Gloucester City started to push forward more. In a five minute period early in the half, two superb crosses from Robert and, secondly, Parker saw Ben Seymour and Jake Jackson glance headers on goal from close range. Both efforts saw Alan Julian pull off top drawer saves after a quiet first period.
Blues reacted with a double substitution on 55 minutes sending on frontman, Adam Cunnington and left back, Callum Kennedy for Emmanuel and O’Hara. Both combined almost immediately as a Kennedy shot was beaten out by Hannah. Cunnington saw his driven effort from the rebound blocked by a defender.
Robinson kept working to try and find an opening and, running through from wide on the right, he forced Hannah into a full length diving save. Gloucester City remained dangerous and offered considerable threat down their right hand side, driven forward by the impressive Hanks. Left footed, Joe Parker, switched across flanks in the second half to provide additional support and was influential.
As the game progressed, Billericay were under rising pressure. Midfield control that had been present in the first half faded. The exit of O’Hara, who always made himself available in central areas, and the hard-working, Shokunbi, began to tell. Deering’s willingness to show the defensive side of his game was vital as his constant pressing led to a chance for Robinson who shot on goal.
As time ticked down, Hamilton pushed forward to deliver a superb ball from the left flank. Attacking the cross well, substitute, Jake Mawford’s header forced another excellent save from Julian. Mawford, who impressed in his 25 minute appearance, can count himself very unlucky not to have scored from an 85th minute curling effort that for once beat an inspired goalkeeper but hit the post.
There was still time for a last chance for Robinson to score. Cunnington climbed to nod on a ball into the area. Faultless all afternoon, Hannah badly misjudged the bounce of the ball, which allowed Robinson to steal in behind with an unguarded goal to aim at. With the angle becoming more acute by the second, the Billericay striker had to shoot early and saw his effort come back off the post.
The final whistle sounded soon after, bringing relief to a tense home crowd. Billericay managed to hold on for the win and manage the result to take the points. Gloucester City undoubtedly deserved a share of the spoils and would have had something but for an afternoon in which Alan Julian was in top form.
Leigh’s Man of the Match: Alan Julian
“Three excellent saves secured the points for Billericay. Calm and authoritative”
Top Man for Gloucester City: Andy Hannah
“Kept his side in the game when under intense pressure with a series of saves. Never looked like a man playing his first game of the season”.
Billericay Town
1. Alan Julian 2. Joe Kizzi 3. Jake Howells 4. Scott Doe 5. Rickie Hayles
6. Sam Deering 7. Alfie Potter 8. Jamie O’Hara (15. Callum Kennedy, ’55)
9. Jake Robinson 10. Moses Emmanuel (14. Adam Cunnington, ’55)
11. Ademola Shokunbi (16. Danny Waldren, ’72)
Subs Not Used: 12. Dean Inman 13. Louis Wells, GK
Goals: ‘39 Emmanuel
Gloucester City FC
1. Andy Hannah 2. Joe Hanks 3. Spencer Hamilton (16. Adam Page, ’83) 4. Matt Williams 5. Sam Avery 6. Jamie Edge 7. Fabian Robert 8. Chris Knowles
9. Jake Jackson (14. Jake Mawford, ’65) 10. Joe Parker 11. Ben Seymour (15. Jamal Lawrence, ’76)
Subs Not Used: 12. Isaac Kelly 17. Mike Green
Attendance: 1,420
