Billericay 2 East Thurrock United 5

ROCKS' boss Lee Patterson admitted to being a delighted man after his side had added to the Ryman Premier gloom of a Billericay side losing their fourth successive league game.

Even though he was sent off from the bench at half time for comments he made to the referee there was a big grin on the boss's face after a Leli Badaja hat-trick had inspired the visitors to a 5-2 success - their first Premier win in six games.

Patterson said: "For a club such as ours to come to a place like Billericay in front of a big crowd is fantastic."

After leading the table in the opening weeks, Rocks went into this game in ninth position and Patterson declared: "If we could finish in the top 10 I'd be delighted.

"This is a very competitive league and it's difficult for a club such as ours that, like all of those apart from Grays in Thurrock, doesn't have a fan base.

"We're on first name terms with most of our regular supporters. It seems that the people of Stanford and Corringham have better things to do on a Saturday afternoon - maybe shopping at Lakeside!

"Obviously if we got in a position to try for promotion to a higher level we'd take it.

"But not having a fan base means that we're battling with smaller squads and consequently smaller budgets than a lot of clubs and our main aim is to establish ourselves further at this level."

When it was suggested to Patterson that Billericay had contributed to their own downfall with some woeful defending, he replied: "That's true - and to be honest we gave them a helping hand with their two goals.

"But I think it's true that almost every goal scored in football starts off with an error by the opposition in some shape or form.

"I thought we looked comfortable today when we went 4-2 up early in the second-half and I was pleased with our finishing.

"It was great for Leli to get a hat-trick as he's only recently returned to the side from suspension but took his chances well.

"In fact I've got to be pleased overall after a result like that. But I said I wasn't getting over-excited when we topped the table early on and I'm not going to now.

"It's early days yet and, due to the size of our squad, we could be in trouble if we had injuries in three or more key areas. But you could say that tonight I'm delighted."

Billericay were carved open by Rocks' attacking intentions as early as the first minute when home teenage goalkeeper Jack Buckfield pushed Leli Bajada's shot onto upright and Jamie could only Richards send the rebound over the bar.

Rocks looked the better side until the 18th minute when home hot shot Joe Flack netted his 12th goal in their first real attack on goal, slipping the ball past Shane Gore.

But the Billericay defence always looked rocky and a complete collapse ended with Dave McSweeney slicing the ball into his own net past Jack Buckfield after 29 minutes.

Thurrock were in front after 41 minutes when Badaja got the finishing touch to Richards's shot, defelecting it past Buckfield.

Just before the half time break Billericay were awarded a penalty, the decision which provoked Patterson's verbal blast.

The decision was given by the assistant referee for an alleged holding offence in the box.

But justice appeared to be done when Flack's rocket-like spot-kick cannoned off the bar.

Although midfielder Paull Abbott equalised in the opening minute of the second-half, this was definitely Thurrock's afternoon. Badaja made it 3-2 after 52 minutes and grabbed the fourth 60 seconds later with a volley from a perfectly weighted Lee Burns cross from the right.

The final nail in Billericay's coffin was in the 90th minute when the industrious Burns gathered the ball mid way in the Billericay half, and with only Buckfield to beat made no mistake with his low shot to the left of the keeper.

The win, in front of a crowd of 450, lifts Rocks to sixth.

Rocks: Gore, Collis, Dumas, Stevens, Faulkner, Cornhill, Burns, Bajada, Williams, Richards (Edusei), Harris (Ansell).