Glenn Poole: Opening day victory was "massive" for Billericay Town (From Echo)

Glenn Poole: Opening day victory was "massive" for Billericay Town

5:36pm Monday 20th August 2012 in Billericay Town & Concord Rangers: Conference South By James Colasanti

GLENN Poole described Billericay ’s opening day win over Truro as “massive” for the Conference South newcomers.

The experienced midfielder said to claim all three points despite going down to 10 men early will only reinforce the huge self belief within their team.

The Ryman Premier champions beat the Cornish side 2-1 despite the dismissal of last season’s top scorer Jay May early in the second half for an elbow.

Poole said: “That kind of spirit got us through last year, so it’s no surprise it’s there again – that’s just the way we are.

“To react like that after seeing them equalise, having a man sent off, and in that heat, tells you everything you need to know about us.

“I think we would have taken a draw in those circumstances.

“But because of the team we are, it’s no surprise we went and nicked the win.”

Poole said it was a victory which will give the squad a “huge psychological boost” heading into tomorrow’s match at Hayes & Yeading.

He said: “If you don’t win your first game then you can have doubts creeping in.

“That’s not the case for me though, because I’ve never actually won a game on the opening day of the season.

“Truro were no mugs, despite the problems they’ve had, and that was pretty much their team from last year.

“So it’s good that we’ve shown straight away we can compete at this level.”

East Thurrock manager John Coventry said the referee had “lost the game” as his side played out a 1-1 home draw with Kingstonan in a Ryman Premier match in which three men were sent off – including his keeper Jamie Riley, and centre back Steve Sheehan.

He said: “I will take that result, under the circumstances, but I don’t think that tells the whole story.

“We had a perfectly good goal disallowed. The ref knows he’s made a mistake and he then evens it up by disallowing their goal early in the second half.

“With the Jamie Riley sending off, he’s sent him off for stopping a goal scoring opportunity.

“But the ball goes in. So if he waits, he gives the goal and does nothing else.”