Stunning fight back from blues to record 2nd straight Victory

The Blues produced a stunning fight back to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat with two goals in an enthralling remaining thirteen minutes of the game. Up until this point the visitors looked like holding out for all the points before some inspired substitutions galvanised the home side and brought the Essex visitors to their knees. Manager Steve Ball kept the same side that had won at Wingate the previous Saturday and on a cool evening the hosts kicked off with the slope and wind in their favour. The opening exchanges favoured the Blues with Leiston pressing high in the visitors half and looking confident in possession.

It took the well organised visitors over a quarter of an hour to get a foot hold into the game but when they did they showed their quality especially the front duo of Sappleton and Benjamin but it took 17 minutes for the first corner of the game that home custodian Gay was at full stretch to thwart. The Blues fans were celebrating on 19 minutes as Heath raced onto a long clearance from Gay but after challenging Lumley in the visitors goal and then finding the net, Referee Burnham brought play back for an infringement on the Billericay stopper. The visitors were starting to stir and after Poole fizzed a shot over the top a clever passing move switched from left to right and ended with O'Hanlon forcing Gay into a smothered stop. Home skipper Bullard brought the first yellow card of the evening for a clumsy foul on Sappleton in the 28th minute and from the resulting free kick Poole forced Gay into a smart save at his left hand post. Billericay were starting to get on top and on 31 minutes almost took the lead but after skipping behind the home defence on the left hand side of the box Benjamin beat the advancing Gay only to see his shot roll agonisingly across the face of goal. A big let off for the Blues. The game then swung back in favour of Leiston as the half ended and on 44 minutes a fine finger tip save from Lumley denied Heath as the hard working midfielder burst onto Sheehan's stray pass and tried an early chip that Lumley finger tipped away for a corner.

The chance was punished just 36 seconds upon the resumption of the second half as Billericay took the lead. Ottley-Gooch under hit a back pass that the alert Sappleton immediately capitalised upon and after Gay blocked his initial shot the ball squirmed back into the strikers path and he made no mistake for the opener. Within seconds Leiston almost levelled but Heath's ten yard effort from Akurang's knock down was over the top. The visitors now had something to protect and they worked extremely hard closing down the Blues and holding off the challenge of the home side. On 55 minutes Bullard's fine diagonal pass released Francis on the edge of the box before he was impeded by O'Hanlon bringing another yellow card. From Boardley's free kick the ball fell invitingly to Brothers but his shot was high over Lumley's goal and this was the last action for the Leiston right winger as he made way for Winter. Still Billericay looked in control and the excellent Sappleton cleverly created space on the edge of the home box but his 72nd minute effort was straight at Gay. Leiston then introduced Saker for Akurang pushing Ottley-Gooch into attack with Mitchell in midfield and Saker in his accustomed right back position. The changes certainly worked and a period of sustained home pressure, the first of the second half, brought a response. With 77 minutes on the clock Boardley produced a sweet curling corner that skipper Bullard powered home a header not only for an equaliser but his first goal for the Blues. It was now game on as the rejuvenated home side sensed a win when most in the crowd would probably have taken a point. Winter was proving to be an excellent change and his probing runs had Billericay on the back foot. After eluding two challenges and releasing Saker to force Lumley into a full strength stretch in his six yard box with Ottley-Gooch looking at a simple tap in, the young Leiston winger then produced a peach of a right wing cross for Parker to plant a great header into the right hand corner of the Billericay net with barely seconds of the ninety minutes remaining. It was an amazing turnaround for the home side who have now scooped the maximum six points from games they could have lost. The changes shows the strength of the squad and this will be required again Saturday as Dulwich Hamlet visit Victory Road.

FT - Leiston 2 Billericay Town 1

Blues line up - Gay, Mitchell, Boardley (Jefford 91 mins), Ottley-Gooch, Tann, Bullard, M Brothers (Winter 55 mins), Heath, Akurang (Saker 72 mins), Parker, Francis. Subs not used - Noy and Rossis.

LFC Supporters Club Man of the Match - Tom Bullard

Attendance - 197