Billericay Town 4-0 Leiston

From New Lodge

Ryman Premier League

 

BILLERICAY Town defied the odds to crush 10-man Leiston 4-0 to mantain their play-off charge.

Town were down to the bare bones ahead of the match, naming only two substitutes for the vital play-off encounter.

But they produced a fantastic display to blow away the cobwebs of Saturday's 2-0 defeat against Hendon.

Goals from Rowan Liburd, Affy Obafemi, Steve Sheehan and an own goal gave Town an impressive win over the sixth-placed side.

Striker Ricky Sappleton was forced to play in centre-back due to Craig Edwards' lack of options but the burly forward almost opened the scoring from a free-kick.

Liburd came close, but then came the flash point. Glenn Poole and Danny Cunningham put their heads together, with the away man dismissed.

Poole was only booked and 10 minutes later Town had the lead.

A fine cross from Ola Williams dropped for Liburd and his looped header beat Danny Gay to nestle in the corner.

That was the score at half-time but Town doubled their advantage soon after the interval. Obafemi picked up the ball and the former Dagenham & Redbridge man lashed a fierce shot past Gay from 20 yards.

Ross Kitteridge was manning the goal for Billericay in the absence of Joe Wright, and an error from the goalkeeper almost let in Leiston, but the effort went wide.

Sheehan headed in from a Poole corner before good work from substitute Ryan Melaugh resulted in Tom Bullard prodding past his own goalkeeper.

The result leaves Town in 11th, with a game in hand on all the sides above them.

 

Billericay Town: Kitteridge, Williams, Nesbitt, Sheehan, Scott, Mahler, Obafemi, Poole, Sappleton, Liburd, Ekim (Melaugh)