Thursday, 10 October 2019

Billericay Town Ladies 6 Stevenage Women 2

FA Women's National League One South East, Wednesday 9th October 2019


Billericay Town Ladies remained joint top of the FA Women’s National League One South East table after they hit six at New Lodge against Stevenage Women.

The hosts had lost just once in the division this season, to joint leaders Ipswich Town last time out, so were looking to respond against a Stevenage side who had lost five from their seven league games thus far, so on paper at least this had home win all over it.

And the hosts led in the seventh minute when after a ball wasn’t cleared, the loose ball was poked in via the keeper, however the lead only lasted two minutes as a howler from the home keeper, dropping a cross from the right onto the goal line, was adjudged to have crossed the line after the referee had consulted his assistant.

Billericay then saw a long-range effort saved before a corner was diverted over the bar by a visiting defender, and from that corner a poke through a crowd of players was smothered by the keeper.

A long stoppage for an injury to a visiting player saw the game delayed for five minutes, before the hosts then saw an effort saved before the visitors then fired a long range effort straight at the hosts keeper, before Billericay then fired just wide as the half approached stoppage time.

Stoppage time proved fatal for the visitors though as after a mazy run from the hosts eventually saw an effort blocked behind for a corner, the hosts restored their lead one minute into the extra time allotted after the corner was volleyed though a crowd of players and into the net.

And three minutes into stoppage time it was three when a ball cleared to the edge of the box was fired home brilliantly, and then after the hosts missed a good chance to make it four, they did just that five minutes into stoppage time when an effort was smacked in off the bar after a good ball through, and the hosts suddenly held a big lead at the break.

Half Time Billericay Town Ladies 4 Stevenage Women 1

The opening exchanges of the second period saw just the one chance, which fell to the hosts, when they nipped in but fired wide, but in the 63rd minute Stevenage had the chance to reduce the deficit when they were awarded a penalty after a foul inside the box.  And the spot kick was dispatched with aplomb and it was now 4-2.

Billericay then sent an effort over the bar before slicing another effort wide, but the second period had been a good battle as we entered the final twenty minutes of the contest.

The hosts then sent a weak header at goal before the visitors fired an effort at the home sides goal in response, but as the game ticked towards the ninety minute mark a flashpoint occurred on the touchline, resulting in a booking for each side, and also a straight red for apparent dissent for the visitors.

And as the game ticked over the ninety Billericay found a fifth as the hosts won a penalty, which was emphatically rammed home, and after the visitors almost got in but found their path blocked, the hosts saw a free-kick slip through the grasp of the visitors keeper and in for number six, four minutes into stoppage time.

There was still time for the visiting keeper to pull of a brilliant save to deny the hosts a seventh, but soon after the whistle went, and the hosts had picked up all three points in this one.  Stevenage had competed well in this one, especially second half, but the hosts were always in control.

Full Time Billericay Town Ladies 6 Stevenage Women 2










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