Billericay 3 Kettering 1

[GazzaBTFC]

Well a performance that was, nearly out of the top drawer...(only joking lads). An early goal by Gary Ansell (or was it Andy Jones?) and two from Danny Hockton sealed a first half performance that was the best so far this season. Danny's first coming after Paul Fewings hit the underside of the bar and we contered was the turning point of the match (sorry jl for stealing your report).

 

The second half was a more scrappy affair with Kettering looking for the goals to square and maybe steal the match but I thought the lads came out quite well until Kettering scored. Then it was the usual not holding the ball and booting anywhere for 10 minutes until a couple of substitutions settled the lads down and we picked up again in the last 10.

 

The ref again was awful, letting some heavy and late tackles by Kettering go by and then blowing up for some stupid infringement by our lads. But then again, we beat it and that can only give us confidence and set us up for Saturdays game.

 

Well done lads. My man of the match...Danny Hockton but only just for scoring two goals...I thought "Joanah" on the right played a blinder.

 

Come on you Blues!!!

[mystic mark]

yes Gazza, brilliant first twenty minutes. 1st goal timed at 49 seconds and credited to Gary Ansell. Roll on Saturday!

[newlodgeblue]

Great first half performance from the boys in blue,now lets all get behind Justin and the team instead of slagging them off,well done blues tonight and hopefully we can now start moving up the league table.

[Simon BTFC]

Well I reckon that was a must win game for us to avoid the gap opening up to more than 3 points with the teams above us. Thought all the new boys did well for us, 3 debutants by my reckoning in Andy Jones, Keith Stephens and sub Luke Bauckham. (Albeit AJ making his "second" debut!). Thought we got the tactics about right - soak up the pressure then hit them on the break so well done to Justin and the management team for that. Defensively we looked pretty solid despite being under a lot of pressure, JJ didn't have that many saves to make. Up front Andy Jones held the ball up well which was the key for me - allowing us more time to build attacks. We've now got to show we can put together back to back wins starting saturday.

[pabird]

What a relief that must have been Gazza, I feel like celebrating with you, no hold on thats going too far

[Paul S]

After that fantastic performance last night we now most build on that and continue to pick up points. saturday is very much a must win game and it would be very nice to put together back-to-back wins to try and pull clear of the bottom four. so long as we keep picking up points and start climbing up the league table confidence should start building.

 

well done blues - KEEP IT GOING

[ray bellici]

Superb first half performance. Thought it was too good to be true that Kevin Stephens was a BTFC player rather that a loan signing, thought he was outstanding (hearing definitely going, I had him as Steven King). Andy Jones also terrific. Panic and a drop in confidence ensued second half, I don't think the Town players could actually believe what was happening. Danny Hockton's second would have definitely bounced off the post and out of goal last week, we were due a bit of luck. Well done Justin et al.

[Big Al (KTFC)]

POPPIES SURRENDER TO BILLERICAY 17/09/2003

 

If you had walked into the ground at half-time you would have noticed a small black object lying on the ground.

 

The minute you realised what it was you would not have needed to ask how we were getting on.

 

For this was the Kettering Town captain's armband.

 

Proudly worn at the start by Craig Norman he was forced to relinquish it when he hobbled off injured during the first half.

 

You would have thought there would have been a rush to put the band on but it passed around until it lay sadly unwanted on the floor.

 

No one wanted to admit responsibility or admit he had captained the team in the absymal display the team put on during the first half.

 

It didn't seem possible just 72 earlier we were congratulating the same players on their magnificent performance against Bognor. How then could they hit such a low against lowly Billericay ?

 

It certainly didn't take long either.

 

Within a minute and before anyone had stepped into the Billericay half Pettinger was picking the ball out of the net.

 

A run up the left wing and a low hit ball across the box that was never dealt with allowed Gary Ansell to sidefoot the ball home with Kettering defenders remaining static.

 

Worse was to follow when Wayne Diuk and Paul Pettinger played 'after you Claude, no, after you Cecil' leaving them to pick the ball out of the net after a crazy moments indecision gave us a mountain to climb.

 

And if that wasn't enough Danny Hockton was allowed to run through and add a third, all inside 25 minutes. Thankfully that was the end of the embarrassing goals against, but the damage had been done

 

The Poppies did come out with some fight in the second half and there were those amongst us who still thought there might be something in the game for us if we could score early on, but unfortunately it was more a case of dream on.

 

Ian King did strike home a free kick from the edge of the box after 66 minutes to give the optimists amongst us some hope, but that was all we could muster.

 

There are games every season you just want to put behind you and this was one of them.

 

Sadly for me I shall always recall this game by remembering that captains armband lying forlornly on the pitch, unwanted and with no one in the team with the gumption or the guts to pick it up and try to show some leadership to the others.

 

What a sad day.

[GazzaBTFC]

I gotta say, it is nice to read a report from a rival supporter that doesn't reflect on how the ref was biased, the 'Ricay players fell over whenever touched, how we cheated...An honest report. Well done

 

Unlike the ramblings of some 14 or 17 year olds that support George Borgs / Gary Calders latest veture. For examples, please visit the Hornchurch forum (damn...I've given it away) or see the message links Billericay 2 Hornchurch 0 (ooooo, that still feels good to type)

 

 

[Big Al (KTFC)]

Yeah, though I'm not sure who wrote this. It's a sad indicator of the lack of passion in the Poppies dressing room.

[GazzaBTFC]

Actually, I didn't witness a lack of passion behind our goal last night but when your lot were in the bar before and at half time, you did look a little, how can I say, "low". Was the journey a bugger or something?

[jl]

well done to us.

 

some astute realignable of personnel and i felt a desire to make up for saturday contributed to this win. as gazza said it could have been different had fewings' effort gone in instead of rattling the bar...but frankly who cares..about time the ball ran our way...

 

its double important now that we beat harrow on saturday and avoid our traditional 1-0 defeat at braintree so that we can build up a bit of momentum and reacquaint ourselves with the mid division.

 

cmon the blues

[Big Al (KTFC)]

I think we were making up for Saturday too!