East Thurrock United 1–1 Billericay Town

From Rookery Hill

Ryman Premier League

 

A LAST-GASP equaliser saw Billericay Town take a share of the spoils in their season opener against East Thurrock United.

George Beavan headed the leveller as the clock ticked into extra-time, after some pinball in the penalty area found the defender unmarked.

Sam Higgins, fresh from 44 goals last term, had picked up from where he left off last season to score from the penalty spot for Rocks as the half-time whistle beckoned, but it wasn’t enough.

There were a number of changes for both sides from last season, with six new faces for Rocks and seven for Town in the starting line-ups.

And it was one of East Thurrock’s new men who was impressing. Tom Wraight, signed from Witham Town, was in the thick of the action early on. His goal bound effort was blocked by Ola Williams, with the midfielder shooting over soon after following good work from Kris Newby.

And when Town goalkeeper Jack Giddens denied the 22-year-old from a free-kick with a sprawling save it appeared it wasn’t going to be his day.

Giddens was in the thick of the action and the home crowd was screaming for his dismissal after he was adjudged to have handled the ball outside the box under pressure from Higgins.

But it was just a yellow card, to the consternation of the home support.

And Giddens was proving to be the scourge of the hosts, keeping them out time and time again.

Giddens denied Higgins, with former Town man Ryan Scott kept at bay soon after following a diving header.

But he was powerless to deny Higgins from the penalty spot. After Ola Williams was adjudged to have hauled Lewis Smith to the ground, Higgins fired the kick into the top corner, albeit via the hands of the impressive goalkeeper.

The second-half started slowly, with Billericay struggling to adjust to two enforced changes in the first period.

Neither goalkeeper was tested until the closing stages, as Town struggled to break down the impressive defensive pairing of Scott and Rickie Hayles.

Jamie Guy was isolated up front for Town and, but for a poor piece of control, could have equalised only for the ball to be nicked away.

With five minutes left, the game could have been made safe but neither Hayles or Scott were able to get the decisive touch in the penalty area, with the latter striking over.

But Beavan had the decisive intervention, as he headed over Lidakevicius to send the away fans into raptures.

East Thurrock United: Lidakevicius, Sammons, Knott, Scott, Hayles, Wraight, Neweby, Gilbey, Higgins (Bryant), Ruel (Honesty), Smith

Billericay Town: Giddens, Williams, Nesbitt, Curley, Ellul, Beavan, Bake (Derry), Caracciolo (Hazlewood), Guy, Sodje, Stamp (Stephenson)

Other results:

National League South: Concord Rangers 4-1 Weston-Super-Mare

Ryman Premier League: Dulwich Hamlet 3-0 Canvey Island

Ryman One North: Great Wakering Rovers 2-0 Soham Town Rangers