Billericay Town 1 Tonbridge 1

Match 46/15/1251 - Saturday, 28th November 2015 - Ryman Premier

Billericay Town (1) 1 Monville 5
Tonbridge (1) 1 Parkinson 42
Attendance: 375

Entrance: £7 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 96/3,300

Match Report

It's a rather daft saying "if things don't change they'll stay the same", rather stating the obvious. But over this weekend, some things have changed. Great Britain have won the Davis Cup for the first time in 79 years; Wladimir Klitschko, world heavyweight boxing champion for the last nine years, was beaten by a Briton, Tyson Fury and a striker, from non-league football, Jamie Vardy, set a new Premier League record scoring for an eleventh consecutive match. Since most of us realise there was football before Sky television, this was the first time this had been achieved since Stanley Mortensen in 1951.

However, some things never change and Tonbridge winning at Billericay is one of them.

Billericay came into the game in a good vein of form with only three defeats in their last 16 matches and on a heavy pitch, eloquently described elsewhere as an allotment, Tonbridge were always going to struggle to put together a passing game that might stretch a solid back line.

Tonbridge found themselves behind very early in the game. Conor Hubble delivered a pin-point cross to the far post where Quentin Monville and time and space to plant a header into the net from close range.

The visitors were struggling to come to terms with the elements and Billericay had a good chance to double their advantage when Mike Fondop-Talom failed to convert a cross from Monville. Fondop-Talom went on to produce an eye-catching display. Signed from Stanway Rangers, he looks a talent and visible proof that there are unpolished gems in the lower leagues waiting to be unearthed.

After 20 minutes on the back foot, Tonbridge started to get a foothold in the game. Riviere, who made light of the pitch and his 36 years, had a low shot saved by Giddens in the Essex side's goal; Nicky Wheeler brought another save and after 39 minutes, Nathan Elder should have done better with a header from a David Fitzpatrick cross.

After 42 minutes, Tonbridge's pressure finally bore dividends when a Wheeler free kick wasn't dealt with and when the ball fell to Tommy Parkinson, he hooked in from six yards.

Into the second half, the pitch got heavier and the wind blew harder leaving both sides struggling to create much in the way of chances. Ten minutes remained when the visitors breathed a huge sigh of relief as a free kick from Hubble rebounded off the crossbar. Fondop-Talom had one final opportunity to win the game for the home side but steered a header wide.

I think Tonbridge's management would leave Essex considering this a point won in very difficult conditions to which the home side adapted much better.