Steve Sheehan sees red against his old club as East Thurrock United beat Billericay Town

From Rookery Hill

Ryman Premier League

FORMER East Thurrock United captain Steve Sheehan was sent off as his Billericay Town side went down 2-1 at his old club.

Town had taken an early lead through Rowan Liburd, but an equaliser from Sam Higgins, after he had been brought down in the penalty area by Sheehan, brought parity before Simon Peddie scored the winner on the stroke of half-time.

Both sides came into the match on impressive runs of form. Rocks ended the year with a record points total at this stage of a Ryman Premier League season while Town had won eight of their last 10 matches.

And after a slow start, the game burst into life. With 10 minutes on the clock, a routine back pass should have been cleared by David Hughes but the goalkeeper dawdled as Liburd closed him down, with the attempted clearance cannoning off the forward and in for his third goal in three games.

Town were looking comfortable, with Ryan Melaugh and Affy Obafemi looking lively up front. But that changed out of nothing when Higgins was brought down by Sheehan in the box.

The ex-Rocks captain was sent off, leaving Higgins to crash home his 23rd on the season from the penalty spot.

Rocks turned up the pressure against the 10-men and could have taken the lead soon after, with Higgins’ cross-shot deflected onto the post.

Billericay felt they should have been awarded a penalty with 30 minutes played, when Liburd’s cross struck the hand of a Rocks defender. But only a free-kick was awarded, despite the linesman initially appearing to signal for a spot-kick.

But there was another goal before the break, and it came for Rocks on the stroke of half-time.

The returning Kye Ruel beat substitute Ola Williams down the left and crossed for the incoming Simon Peddie to drill home his third of the season.

And Billericay Town boss Craig Edwards felt the first half performance of the officials left a lot to be desired.

“The first goal was offside,” he said. “It was so clear I cannot believe it wasn’t given. Then you have a corner awarded to East Thurrock in the build-up to the second goal that should have been a goal-kick.

“The linesman actually flagged for a penalty when the lad handballed it. But then he changed his mind. The referee had a good game but he has been let down by his officials.

“We were the better side until the red card and, once that happened, they set up well with the man advantage. We have to bounce back against Margate on Saturday now.”

There wasn’t much in the second half.

Dave Bryant saw an effort blocked away before he shot narrowly wide, having been played in by Higgins before Liam Nash, fresh from a loan spell at Great Wakering Rovers, almost got on the end of a Liburd centre.

Bryant again went close, with Town’s best chance of the second period coming when Liburd collided with Hughes, with the away fans howling for a penalty.

But the second half was played largely without incident, and East Thurrock United boss John Coventry said it was good to get the year off to a good start.

“We started terribly,” he admitted. “We had nothing about us but the red card changed things. It was a red and from that point we looked much more assured.

“We restricted Billericay to very few opportunities and it’s a really pleasing win.”

East Thurrock United: Hughes, Sammons, Stephen, Peddie, Goodacre, Wood, Harris, Symons, Bryant, Higgins, Ruel

Billericay Town: Lumley, Sheehan, Nesbitt, Halle, Scott, Edwards (Akosa), Baker (Williams), Poole, Obafemi (Nash), Liburd, Melaugh ECHO MOM: Reece Harris (East Thurrock)