Billericay Town 0-1 Canvey Island

BILLERICAY Town old-boy Harrison Chatting came back to haunt his old side as he struck to give Canvey Island a derby victory.

Chatting, who had been excellent all game, popped up with 10 minutes to go to drill home a winner and send the travelling fans home happy.

The game started at a frantic pace and Canvey knocked on the door first. John Sands and Jay Curran combined to win a free-kick and quick-thinking saw Harrison Chatting, a former Blues man, freed in the box. But his early cross was cleared with a last-ditch block.

Next Billericay threatened through Glenn Poole – the veteran midfielder heading a cross from Harry Baker over on the run.

The game was end-to-end, with Tambeson Eyong getting a lot of the ball in a new central position but it was Chris Benjamin with the next opportunity – striking just wide of Tim Brown’s far post.

The game slowed down before Canvey had the next opportunity – shortly after Town skipper Richard Halle had to have a head wound bandaged up – and it was Chatting again with the effort. A swift counter-attack saw Eyong feed Victor Osobu and his low cross was hit first time into Billy Lumley’s arms.

A real moment of quality from Anthony Thomas followed – shielding the ball 40 yards from goal and swinging a ball in with his back to goal for the run of skipper Jay Curran. Curran took the ball on the run but his hooked volley was inches over.

As the half came to a close it was the visitors taking the initiative – the tricky Osobu beat Glenn O’Hanlon all ends up before sending a cross to the far post. Curran was inches away and Lumely was able to paw it away. Halle blocked the follow-up from Sands.

The second half saw the tide turn and Billericay take control. Glenn Poole’s delivery was causing problems – with Jeffrey Imudia going close and Ryan Scott even closer, with Brown called into action.

But, after a spell in which the game was played in midfield – Canvey struck. Joe Carter bombed down the left and sent in a low cross that should have been cleared, but Scott could only scuff it into the path of Chatting, who cut inside and drilled home.

Billericay pressed for an equaliser but it never came and Danny Heale’s side claimed their second away win of the season.

Billericay Town: Lumley, O’Hanlon, Halle, Scott, Beavan, Poole, Baker (Appiah), Lette-Jallow (Edwards), Imudia, Njie, Benjamin (Liburd) Canvey Island: Brown, Bryan-Edwards, Carter, Eyong, Jones, Easterford, Thomas (Barlow), Chatting, Curran, Sands (Kamara), Osobu