Billericay Town 2-1 Chelmsford City, Saturday 30th December 2006, New Lodge, Kick-Off 3:00pm, Ryman League Premier Division.

By Chris Evans (Picture by Matt Bradshaw)

A full Match Report will appear here shortly.....

Billericay Town salvaged the bragging rights from a competitive local derby at New Lodge, Darren Blewitt making-up for a second-half penalty miss to net the winner and knock City off top spot.

Chelmsford gave way to Margate at the top of the Ryman League Premier Division as Town goals from Chris Whelpdale and Blewitt either side of Mario Noto’s deflected effort in the second half, tipped the scales in the Blues’ favour and increased their position in the League standings.

In a fiercely-contested first half, Kevin Stephens went close for the Clarets and a lengthy Dwain Clarke effort from distance briefly worried stand-in ‘keeper Ronnie Worster, who was fielded at the last minute to deputise for Billy McMahon who injured himself in the warm-up. Mario Noto also tested the young custodian with a couple of first-half strikes.

Whelpdale could have opened the Blues’ scoring earlier, in the 29^th minute, as he picked the ball up outside the box following a misjudgement by City ‘keeper Richard McKinney and his goalbound lob was headed away by back-tracking defender Ben Chenery.

But he did break the deadlock in the 54^th minute, getting enough of a touch on a left-wing delivery to guide the ball home. A poor throw from McKinney soon afterwards saw Matt Game put the ball in the net but he was given offside.

Blewitt wasted his penalty on 65 minutes, tapping low and watching his shot easily saved, and in timely fashion Chelmsford equalised eight minutes later when Noto’s diverted looper dipped under the crossbar to level. However, Blewitt had the last laugh with a toe-poker from a corner with fourteen minutes remaining and registered a welcome win for Town against one of the favourites for promotion.

City:

1 Richard McKinney
2 Jay Conroy
3 Chris Duffy
4 Ben Chenery (C)
5 Steve Ward
6 Kevin Stephens
7 Mario Noto
8 Jeff Minton
9 Kezie Ibe
10 Ricky Holmes
11 Dwain Clarke

12 Stuart Ainsley (On for Conroy, 46)
14 Bryan Glover
15 Jason Hallett (On for Stephens, 67)
16 Gavin Heeroo
17 Ashley Harrison (GK)

Billericay Town: Ronnie Worster, Dave McSweeney, Danny Kerrigan, Darren Blewitt, Steve Heffer, Jamie Dormer, Chris Whelpdale, Leon Hunter, Rikki Burbridge, Matt Game, Lee Hodges. Subs: Billy Holland, John Simmons, Rob Swaine, Danny Hill.

Bookings: City: Duffy (61, dissent), Noto (90, foul). Billericay: Dormer (45, foul), Game (92, delaying the re-start of play).

Referee: Mr Paul McCaul.

Assistant Referees: Mr Graham Weston and Mr Nigel Bond.

Attendance: 1,508.

City Man of the Match: Mario Noto.

For more Match Photos, Click Here.