Grays Athletic 2–0 Billericay Town

From Mill Field

Ryman Premier League

 

BILLERICAY Town lost their first match of the season at rejuvenated Grays Athletic, in an encounter that could have gone either way.

Bradley Fortnam-Tomlinson, on the stroke of half-time, and James Stevens, from the penalty spot, ensured the points stayed at home and preserved Grays’ unbeaten record, although the first-half should have seen Billericay lead.

Both teams had enjoyed positive starts to the league season, with Grays taking seven points from an available nine, while Billericay were also unbeaten at the start of the campaign.

It was a return for Town manager Craig Edwards, who spent two months in charge of Grays in the summer of 2009 before he was sacked, and his side got off to a strong start in the sunshine.

A ball was floated into the box and Onome Sodje, fresh from his first goal last weekend, was only denied by a superb last-ditch block by Jay Leader.

Town’s Tom Derry was the first man to test either goalkeeper, as a swift counter-attack saw him fire into the arms of Lamar Johnson, with Loui Hazlewood the next man to fire at goal, albeit off target.

Grays were struggling to get into the rhythm that had seen them pick up so many admirers at the end of last season, with midfield pairing James Stevens and Kenny Beaney well marshalled by the combative Frankie Curley.

Sodje headed over what was the most inviting chances of the early stages, after Teddy Nesbitt’s left wing cross was flicked over the bar under pressure.

Joao Carlos, so often a lively spark, hit the crossbar with a lobbed effort, only to see the offside flag go up, while a Stevens corner flashed across the box, just evading a final touch.

Teddy Nesbitt, the former Aveley man playing back on his old ground, should have put Billericay ahead but saw his goalbound effort blocked by Luke Ifill, with Lamar Johnson clattering into the Town man as the danger was cleared.

But, despite continuing pressure from the visitors, it was the hosts who struck against the run of play on the stroke of half-time.

A delightful flick from Dumaka put Fortnam-Tomlinson in the clear and he ran through to slot past Jack Giddens with ease.

Into the second-half, both sides exchanged possession without creating any clear-cut opportunities, with a number of long balls out of defence.

In fact, the first of the half saw Grays double their lead. A diagonal ball found Carlos and, as he lobbed the keeper, Giddens brought him down.

A yellow card was shown to the stopper and Stevens blasted home the resultant kick.

Town should have halved arrears with 15 minutes to go but somehow substitute Lewis Manor diverted onto the crossbar from underneath the goal line.

Dumaka shot over late on but, by that point, the game was won.

 

Grays Athletic: Johnson, Ifill, Siva, Cronin, Leader, Stevens (Bentley), Fortnam-Tomlison (Reynolds), Beaney, Dumaka, Ferguson, Carlos (Michael-Percil)

Billericay Town: Giddens, Williams, Stephenson (Stamp), Curley, Ellul, Beavan, Hazlewood, Hubble, Derry, Sodje (Manor), Nesbitt (Baker)

 

Other results:

National League South: Concord Rangers 0–3 Hemel Hempstead Town

Ryman League South: Leatherhead 4–4 Canvey Island

Ryman One North: Great Wakering Rovers 3-4 Wroxham