Ryman Premier
East Thurrock United 1 v 1 Billericay Town
AN injury time goal earned Billericay a point from Saturday’s Ryman Premier clash in a hard fought draw at Rookery Hill.
Rocks started well an spurned two good chances in the first half when but Tom Wraight saw a close range effort deflected wide and then scooped a shot over the bar.
Billericay Town debutant keeper Jake Giddens had a decent save to keep out Sam Higgins’ strike but then when the Rocks captain chased down a backpass the keeper slid out of the area as he tried to chest the ball out of the path of the striker but the ball bounced badly and he used his hands to push it away from Higgins who otherwise would have been able to walk it into an empty net.
The referee Mr Ajibola awarded the free kick on the edge of the box and a yellow card for the keeper.
Giddens was finally beaten in the last minute of the half when Lewis Smith drew a rash challenge from a defender and won a penalty. Higgins thumped home the spot-kick though Giddens came close to a save.
Rocks piled on the pressure through several minutes of added time and would have been 3-0 up going into half time if it wasn’t for the excellent work of Giddens; first acrobatically saving from a Higgins left-footed effort and then following up with a full stretch save to deny Ryan Scott’s diving header from the corner.
The second half was a much closer contest, with very little incident to remember until the final minutes of the match, when Billericay equalised in the 91st minute with a header by George Beavan, from a long throw into the box that was twice half cleared but in the ended looped up to allow the defender the time to pick his spot.
