Billericay Town 4 Blues 1

The Blues play off hopes look like being de-railed after a fourth successive away defeat. The one time leaders, who had a great first half to the season, are now in danger of slipping deeper from the coveted prize of a first ever play off spot after conceding three goals for the fourth successive match, slipping to a third defeat against play off rivals in a week. Chief tormentors for the Essex side were Jordan Cox, the on loan Braintree Town striker netting twice in four first half minutes and Tom Derry who scored two second half goals. In truth the on loan Iron frontman Cox should have really had a first half hat-trick as the hosts totally dominated the first half. Cox opened his account on 16 minutes, afforded far too much time and space on the right hand side to beat Ashlee Jones. The Blues stopper had already made two great stops before the opener and he was powerless to keep out Cox as he doubled his and Billericay's second, a free far post header from Diallo's right wing cross. It was all Billericay and the Blues were almost out of the fixture on 34 minutes but Ashlee Jones made a fine stop to keep out Teddy Nesbitt's penalty, awarded after a foul by Patrick Brothers on ex Blues midfielder Conor Hubble. The visitors then had their best spell of the game in the final ten minutes of the half and would have returned after the interval in confident mood but that mood would have changed just three minutes in as the hosts added a third goal. Tom Derry capitalising on a rare error by Ashlee Jones as his long range effort squirmed under the dive of the Blues stopper. Leiston needed an instant response and Jake Taylor had the chance after a slip in the home defence but he was denied by a fine Giddens save. Half way through the half Leiston finally had some joy and it was new signing Jack Ainsley who opened his account. The normally prolific penalty taker Ainsley, saw his spot kick saved by Giddens after a foul on Joe Jefford but the ex Lowestoft Town defender was quickest to react and fire home the rebound. Suddenly the tide turned as Leiston pressed hard forcing the home side deeper into their own box. Some frantic defending somehow denying the Blues a second goal with the ball looking like it was literally stopped on the line. But any hopes of a revival were dashed with six minutes remaining as Tom Derry added a fourth home goal from close range, first to react inside the box from Ashlee Jones' punched clearance to hook his shot high into the net. Substitute Jack Baker squandered a late chance for a second Leiston goal but fired wide at the far post. Sadly that summed up the Blues night in front of goal and that of regular visits to New Lodge as all three previous League visits have seen four goals conceded.

FT - Billericay Town 4 Blues 1

Billericay Town - Giddens, Diallo, Stephenson, Hubble, Curley, Beavan, Monville, Poole, Derry, Cox, Nesbitt. Subs - Okosieme, Sodje, Williams, Abdul and Brightly.

Blues - Jones, Saker, Dunbar, Boardley, Jefford, Ainsley, Ottley-Gooch (Baker 80 mins), Cunningham (Trotter 46 mins), Taylor (Winter 77 mins), Clark, Brothers. Subs not used - Clarke and Rossis

Attendance - 164

Man of the Match - Seb Dunbar