BILLERICAY TOWN 1 HORSHAM 0

BILLERICAY TOWN:
1.Ronnie Worster 2.Dave McSweeney 3.Danny Kerrigan 4. Michael Alaile 5.Steve Heffer 6.Jamie Dormer 7.Bradley Wood-Garness 8.Leon Hunter 9.Michael Black 10.Rikki Burbridge (Bricknell) 11.Lee Hodges. Subs: 12.Billy Bricknell 14.Wayne Semanshia 15.Darren Blewitt 16. Marron, 17.Jack Buckfield
Scorers: Burbridge (25)

HORSHAM:
1.Paul Seuke 2.Tom Graves (Salaam) 3.Matt Geard 4.Eddie French 5.Kevin Hemsley 6.Simon Austin 7.Jacob Mingle 8.Lewis Taylor 9.Gary Charman (Rayner) 10.Lee Farrell (Ward)11.Chamal Fenelon Subs: 12.Mark Hawthorne 14.Jason Ward 15.Yinka Salaam 16.Ben Rayner 17.Alan Mansfield

Reporter: Mark Barrett

A superbly taken goal from Billericay striker Rikki Burbridge was enough to inflict Horsham’s first league defeat of 2008 at a blustery New Lodge. Burbridge arrived unmarked at the far post in the twenty sixth minute to volley home a cross from Lee Hodges to send the Hornets home from Essex pointless for the second successive season. In fairness the depleted visitors didn’t deserve to take anything away from the proceedings as they failed to register a meaningful effort on target in the entire ninety minutes and ‘Ricay more than held on for the victory to continue their recent good form.

Horsham went into the match with first team regulars Nigel Brake, Andy Howard and Lee Carney all out injured whilst Stuart Myall, who had recovered from a kidney infection, still having to sit the match out because of a one match suspension for picking up his fifth booking against Lewes two weeks previously. As a result, Matt Geard continued at left-back with Kevin Hemsley and Eddie French again making up the central defensive partnership. Simon Austin started on the right hand side of midfield while new signing Jason Ward was included on the bench.

The hosts opted to play Burbridge up front on his own whilst the highly rated Bradley Wood-Garness, recently linked with a move to a League club, lined up on the right wing. Billericay started confidently although the first half chance fell to the visitors when Tom Graves' long throw was flicked on by Chamal Fenelon and Lee Farrell’s deft touch goalwards was easily held by Ronnie Worster.

The home side looked more threatening and Hodges cut in from the left only to shank his shot from outside the box well wide in the eighth minute. The same player then swung in a dangerous free-kick which Paul Seuke punched as far as Michael Black who stabbed his effort well off target.

The Hornets then produced arguably their best move of the night when Fenelon and Lewis Taylor linked up well on the left but Michael Alaile was alert and cleared the cross with Farrell lurking. The game was fairly even until ‘Ricay edged ahead in the 26th minute. Hodges was given time to deliver a cross from the left and he picked out Burbridge all alone at the far post and the big striker produced a cracking volley past the helpless Seuke from ten yards.

Burbridge was less clinical in the 37th minute when he headed straight at Seuke and then, a minute later, the Horsham stopper was on hand to turn away a shot from Steve Heffer following a Black free-kick. At the other end, a couple of promising openings came to nothing as Fenelon insisted on carrying on his shoot on site policy and, on both occasions, the ball ended up sailing out of the ground. The only thing Worster had to deal with was a long punt from his opposite number which caught the strong wind.

H/T Billericay Town 1 Horsham 0

If ‘Ricay centre halves Heffer and Alaile had it easy in the first half, they could have sat down and had a picnic in the second as the Hornets didn’t even manage to have a period of pressure. Instead Leon Hunter shot wide after a good passing move and then Burbridge turned a volley over from Danny Kerrigan’s cross in the 57th minute.

There was another injury concern for John Maggs when Farrell limped off with a groin injury on the hour mark to be replaced by Ward. The former Tranmere Rovers player immediately got into the action, showing plenty of energy as he tried to spark his new side into life. However, the home side, who weren’t exactly firing on all cylinders themselves, continued to dominate the midfield. Burbridge was withdrawn and replaced by Billy Bricknell as the game became scrappy.

French picked up the game's first booking in the 76th minute when he fouled Bricknell before Hodges headed straight at Seuke a minute later. Maggs made two more changes, bringing on Yinka Salaam for Graves and Ben Rayner for Gary Charman but this had little effect. The game seemed to get tetchy and Jacob Mingle and Wood-Garness picked up a caution each after a flare up and Salaam was also booked for a wild lunge on Kerrigan. The pacy Wood-Garness then went on a solo run which ended with Seuke blocking his shot from an acute angle.

There wasn’t much to cheer for the meagre away following although Geard deserved credit for keeping Garness-Wood, one of the Ryman Premier’s hottest properties, fairly quiet. Ward also looked busy and was also comfortable on the ball. Billericay were content to run the final few minutes down by the corner flag although, in truth, had the referee added another 45 minutes on it would have been doubtful if Horsham would have created anything.

Maggs was clearly disappointed with his side’s performance at the end and the home fans applauded their side off after deserved win

NEXT MATCH: v Carshalton Athletic (a) Saturday 9th February ko 3.00pm