Ashford hoodoo strikes again as Town are beaten

ASHFORD TOWN 3

BILLERICAY TOWN 2

(Ryman League Premier Division)

OLD, bad habits clearly keep recurring amongst Billericay Town players because for the fifth time this season they not only surrendered themselves from what looked like a certain winning position, but conceded a goal two minutes into injury time at Short Lane Stadium on Saturday to lose another vital three points against their relegation fight.

Town manager Brian Statham must be wondering what he has to do to keep his side's defence fully concentrated until that final whistle and not give away goals.

Having scored two goals and looked the far better side Town players somehow managed to let their advantage slip again in a game they should have won.

But with only five league wins to their name all season, a trip to an inform Ashford side where the Blues last two visits have ended in 5-0 and 5-1 hammerings, would hardly have installed much belief in the small, but hardy contingent of travelling Blues in claiming a sixth three point haul.

But when Danny Green headed home superbly from Danny Slatter's pinpoint cross for the Blues second goal after 13 minutes, that pessimism soon turned to optimism.

Prior to that, Lee Kersey had given Billericay a second minute lead when he slammed home from close range after Chris Wild flicked on a long throw from Russell Pond. Maybe, just maybe, a convincing win at Ashford would be a signal of intent of a Blues revival up the league.

But Town retreated back into their shell and it was Ashford who upped their game as they set about dominating the rest of the half.

So it came as no surprise when the home team reduced the arrears halfway through the first half and after they had squandered a couple of good, with Jermaine Maglashen causing problems for the Blues all afternoon with his pace and skill.

He started the Tangerines fight back when his trickery beat Dave McSweeney, allowing time for the cross, and the impressive Jamie England, the ex-Chelmsford City winger, headed home.

From there on in the optimism among the Blues faithful disappeared as they sensed an air of inevitability and Ashford duly obliged with the equaliser six minutes before half-time.

Town started the second half brightly but made little impact on Paul Burgess in goal. And as the half wore on, the home side began to dictate play in a game rapidly decreasing in any quality with the Blues often adding to their own woes with increasing regularity.

The home side had spurned at least two golden opportunities to wrap the points up and had forced Andy Walker into a couple of sharp saves.

But just when it was beginning to look like a second successive away draw for the Blues, Ashford claimed the points deep in injury time when Town failed to clear a long throw-in and Warren Harris found himself with plenty of time in the penalty area to shoot from close range, hit the post, then strike home the winner from the rebound.