Town 1 Lewes 0

[blue pilgrim]

A physical game on a bumpy pitch with a whistle happy referee did little to entertain the 600 plus crowd.

 

With both defences on top, Billericay had more attempts on target but only started to get the upper hand in the final 20 minutes as Lewes played deeper to protect their point. Two penalty shouts and a goal line clearance appeared to have denied Town but in the first minute of added time Harrison Chatting lashed a rasping shot into the net. It rebounded out just as rapidly but thankfully the linesman had spotted it and gave the goal.

 

Not pretty, but it was all about the result - well done boys !!!!

[tomsootytilly]

Great result against a good side. Well done H for the last gasp goal which overall we deserved. Thought referee was poor and second half our midfield faded but we got the three vital points. Thought supporters were also terrific. Well done the Blues.

[richards]

I think we would all have settled for a scrappy game with a last minute goal - and that's what we got.

 

Harrison got the goal he deserved for his efforts. Well done lads another 3 points and the dream goes on.

 

Many thanks to the Lewes officials for providing some excellent Harveys beer which went down very well in the bar !!!

[Rich.m]

I think it has all gone in now, I thought it wasn't one of our best displays of the season, and the early booking of swaine just made things a bit more edgy!

 

Ref had a shocker for me, just too inconsist majority of fouls they won and the 5 got away with man handling all game. Then when we start talking about a point being good behind the goal and when was the last 90 + winner.......Super Harry Chatting steps up and thunderbolts us in to euphoria!

 

Sences from the goal and after the game were amazing, nice to see Craig get the lads off for us to give them another reception.

 

All aboard the coach for Kingstonian!

 

Att. 651 great effort see you all good friday!

 

2nd half they had us penned back for 10 minutes but then I thought we got control again, just lacked a final ball.

[finisterre]

I was convinced the lino was gonna contrive to disallow it after he had literally given us the finger midway through the second half, so fair play to him for retaining his impartiality. Took me a while to realise it hadn't bounced back off the corner of post and bar.

 

Almost daring to believe now!

[Barry Proudfoot]

It's always difficult when teams pack the bus like Lewes did today.

 

We never gave up and got the reward, great finish from H.

 

Can't remember Lewes having a shot on goal let alone one on target.

 

Now...who's on the coach to Kinstonian?

[blue pilgrim]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dannylast/sets/72157629295024852/

 

Found this on the Lewes Forum - an interesting pictorial record of their day trip to Ricay !!!!

[Bill of Shenfield]

Difficult game not helped by a poor ref. Played better in the second half and H managed to give us the win we deserved. Didn't think anyone was outstanding.

Liked picture 17 showed how nervous we were with a few minutes left before H scored.

[New Lodger]

Lewes came to park the bus and came close to an undeserved point, I don't remember them having a shot in the whole game. Brilliant finish from Harrison sparked a frenzy.

 

We still hold the advantage after yesterday's games, with us having the toughest fixture.

 

Keep it going boys.

 

COYB

[jl]

An excellent result for us. I really thought this was a weekend where the others might make up some ground, so to come out of it "as we were" is a great outcome for me.

 

We started brightly but then the referee destroyed the game with a relentless stream of unnecessary whistle-blowing, which didn't seem to be particularly well-balanced. Someone told me the ref's number-plate read "P19 REF", so we should have known that the game would have been all about him and not about the players.

 

The pitch had gone from a mudbath to dry and bobbly in the space of days and I thought Lewes adapted to the situation more quickly than us. We were still trying to play balls around our midfield and to Jay's feet, which I don't think Messi could have controlled whereas they were lumping balls into the channels. It wasn't pretty but I felt it was the most effective method in the conditions.

 

We started poorly in the second half but thankfully managed to get back on an even keel quite quickly. I was surprised how negative Lewes were after that - surely at this stage three points is a hugely bigger prize than one for them, but they didn't seem interested in winning.

 

It looked like we would have to settle for a point and then that fantastic moment at the end. H was MoTM for me yesterday, not only for his goal but he looked the one most likely to create something for us all game. Everyone worked hard again, I'd like to see a couple of the lads more positive in the final third but let's face it that's a minor gripe.

 

We have a freeroll on Tuesday as both the others play and any dropped points will be a Brucie Bonus for us. Kingstonian away on Saturday will be tough - they will be looking to avenge the spanking we gave them earlier on but I just feel the force is with us now.

 

Well done lads! Come on you Blues!!

[Ryan.c]

What an important goal that could be. Thought we just about deserved it for sheer persistance alone. Whilst Lewes looked an organised and steady side, they offered little in the way of chances created. Fantastic celebrations at the end! The pressure is on Prawnchurch and Lowestoft now. Nothing less than 3 points on Tuesday night will do for them.

 

Keep it going lads, 6 games from glory.

[Sticks]

Pretty forgettable 90 minutes but 4 minutes of injury time that will live in the memory for a long while.

 

A bobbly pitch didn't make it easy for either side, together with a fussy ref, but overall thought we deserved the three points for the second half pressure.

 

Saturday will be a really difficult game, I'm sure revenge for the 6-0 will be on their minds. But nothing we shouldn't be able to deal with.

 

COYB!!

[extaffyjim]

Fantastic result against a tough to beat side. We had a couple of headed chances early on that went straight at the keeper, and i thought we might live to regret them, as from then on Lewes looked strong at the back and powerful in the air. Most of the game was fairly even, until the last 20 or so, but as others have said Lewes rarely threatened, apart from a string of corners.

 

When the ball was cleared off the line in the last 5 minutes or so i was resigned to not scoring, but great stuff from super H to pop up with the winner. Wild celebrations, albeit slightly delayed for some of us who didnt realise it had actually gone in.

 

A draw wouldnt have been a disaster by any means, but a win was tremendous and puts the pressure on Hornchurch and Lowestoft for their midweek games.

 

15 more points will guarantee us the league. Roll on Kingstonian. COYB

[Umbrella Man]

Not much too add to what's been said already Lewes came for a point and nearly got it but lucky for us they didn't was a massive result yesterday more than made up for our trip down to Lewes at the start of the season.

 

Got another huge game next Saturday lets make sure we all get down there and get behind the boys.

 

Well done lads keep it going.

 

Today's latest score

 

Cray are 2 down at home to Leatherhead at half time

[MarkBTFC]

Very much reminded me of earlier games in the season at home to wealdstone and concord. Where the opposition set out not to loose the game rather than win it. Put many men behind the ball and defended deep. We certianly never gave up and continued to press untill the end, certainly created our own luck. Tbh I was pretty disappointed with Lewes, they rarely looked like they wanted to win the game and apart from crosses and corners to deal with, dale could have got his deck chair out and enjoyed the sun.

 

3 clean sheets in a row and our squad and bench looking really strong now. As much as H will take the headlines(rightly so) felt that when emika came on he offered us new energy and pace which maybe we were lacking.

 

Keep it going blues!

[Rick the Dick]

Just cheered myself up by having a read of Lewes forum & the match report on their official site. The level of self-righteous indignation that we dare to have a handfull of "tall" players is hilarious.

 

Great day all 'round. Great atmosphere, great goal, great crowd, great weather, great drama, great win against one of the few teams to have beaten us & one step closer to our final goal.

 

The increase through the gate is really encouraging & I'd imagine any newcomers will be back for more after that. Not sure what effect playing on a Good Friday will have but hope it's positive.

[Barry Proudfoot]

1 thing I do find rather puzzling is the fact they moan about our two 6ft 5 plus centre backs winning everything in the air and our hoof ball style of play (their words not mine) but surely they don't ever put the ball in the air? because they play such good football.

 

Football fans are so Hypacrytical at times it's unreal.

[The Town Crier]

A great result, goal was a Letchmere corner to Chatting who were the two smallest playes on the pitch. They may be Small in stature but they have BIG Hearts, as do all our lads.

 

The supporters also played a major part in our win. :applause:

[Eastside Urchin]

I know,you used to moan about our direct approach lol

[GazzaBTFC]

Just cheered myself up by having a read of Lewes forum & the match report on their official site. The level of self-righteous indignation that we dare to have a handfull of "tall" players is hilarious.

 

Great day all 'round. Great atmosphere, great goal, great crowd, great weather, great drama, great win against one of the few teams to have beaten us & one step closer to our final goal.

 

The increase through the gate is really encouraging & I'd imagine any newcomers will be back for more after that. Not sure what effect playing on a Good Friday will have but hope it's positive.

 

Apparently we're a bunch of thugs...but if you watch the goal footage you see Chris Wild go down after recieving a elbow in the face...That wouldn't be because they resorted to thuggery would it?

 

Can't really say much more than we persisted in sticking to the game plan, kept the pressure on them and resricted them to the odd break... question, did they offer nothing or did we restrict them to nothing...I think the latter...

 

Well done to the lads...