Wealdstone 2 – 3 Billericay Town
Wealdstone
2 - 3
Billericay TownFINALLY the new football season came alive on Tuesday evening.
But unfortunately, this life produced the first cruel defeat for Wealdstone, who weren’t helped by the referee’s failure to apply the ultimate sanction to the strongarm tactics of the full time players of the Essex side.
Billericay had a slick midfield and forward line, but a square defence which Wealdstone exposed after a terrible opening 15 minutes, during which they could have conceded four times.
Andy Carter saved well on two occasions, Dave Ryan blocked a shot on the line and a couple of shots fizzed past the post before an amazing defensive error gave Stones the lead.
Keeper McCartney should have cleared a hopeful but overhit through ball with ease, but instead missed it completely leaving a stunned Richard Jolly alone to roll the ball into an empty net.
Carter pulled off an amazing save to keep out a volley from Sappleton – a volley from 45 yards straight from Carter’s own clearance.
Unfortunately for Wealdstone, Cousins headed the visitors level from the resulting corner.
In the second half, Wealdstone took charge and played their best football of this campaign.
McCartney stole the ball off Marvin Morgan’s toe as he was about to shoot, Danny Tilbury hits a screamer just over the bar and Morgan, after rounding McCartney saw Sappleton clear his shot off the line.
Finally, after a series of corners, the pressure paid off when Ryan headed in Martin Carter’s free kick at the far post.
But football can be a cruel game.
Moments after Morgan had fired just wide, and five minutes from the end of normal time, Hockton equalised-the ball looking suspiciously over the line before being laid back to him, and two minutes later a neat swivel and shot from Cousins gave Billericay the win they definitely didn’t deserve
Harrow Times Steve Paull