Billericay Town 2 Tonbridge Angels 2
Angels recovered from a dreadful start to earn a point in an entertaining game at New Lodge.
In a see-saw game which saw both sides enjoy spells of territorial advantage, Angels left Essex feeling perhaps a little unlucky that they had not bagged all three points.
It would have been no more than they deserved after an excellent second-half display masterminded by Sam Corne and his razor-sharp footballing brain who showed precisely why Alan Dunne was so keen to prise him away from Maidstone.
With blazing sun giving away to overcast drizzle, Angels suffered the worst start imaginable. With just 52 seconds on the clock Nathan Harness fumbled a routine catch and the ball fell kindly to Jon Benton who finished from close range.
The Essex side had their tails up and Benton again, Taylor Clark and Charlie Ruff all had efforts on goal. At the other end, the lively Jephte Tanga drew a save from Town ‘keeper Joe Wright.
Once Angels settled, they started to threaten and drew level on 26 with a peach of a goal from Jaden Brown. Receiving the ball on the edge of the box, he controlled it, balanced himself and curled a beauty into the top corner giving Wright no chance.
Shortly after Harness made amends for his early lapse producing a fine save from Elliot Long’s blistering half-volley.
But Harness was beaten for a second time on 39 from Long himself who, after doing well to keep his balance in the box, directed an angled shot to Harness’s left to make it 2-1.
Before the break the pendulum swung again and when Tanga went down in the area, referee Henry Harvey pointed to the spot.
After some confusion who might take the kick, the ball was eventually claimed by Bailey Akehurst. His connection was good but Wright guessed correctly and made a low save.
At the interval, Dunne made a bold tactical change withdrawing goalscorer Brown and replacing him with Corne, for his first full appearance in an Angels shirt.
His impact was immediate and with his first touch, his vicious drive skimmed the top of Wright’s bar.
Within minutes, Corne demonstrated all the qualities football observers of the Kent circuit know he has, immediately adopting the guise of puppet-master as he pulled the strings. He was instrumental in a fine second half display by Dunne’s men.
With Lamar Reynolds on for Alfie Pavey and Bunmi Babajide replacing Frankie Baker, Angels were suddenly asking Town serious questions.
Within minutes Babajide produced some sorcery which helped bring Angels parity.
Lexus Beeden found Babajide on the left flank. After teasing George Wind he cut inside and shot. What the shot lacked for in power, it made up for in direction forcing a low fingertip save from Wright which fell nicely for Tanga to slot home for his fourth goal of the season.
Now it was Angels turn to control the game and with Corne and the increasingly impressive Hayden Bullas running the midfield, chances continued to come.
On 68, Corne teed up a delicious cross for ex Maidstone team-mate Reynolds, who was in a perfect position, but could not direct his header on target and it went agonisingly wide.
Seven minutes later, Tanga played in Reynolds but he failed to get sufficient purchase on his shot and the chance went begging.
Suddenly everytime Angels went forward they looked threatening but with the likes of Charlie Ruff and Macauley Bonne at the other end, Billericay looked capable of snatching a winner too.
With the home crowd getting increasingly tetchy and referee Harvey earning their opprobrium for turning down a penalty shout, Angels held firm and were well worthy of at least a point to maintain their unbeaten away record.
Dunne cut a satisfied figure after the game. Unlike last Saturday, he praised the referee and expressed pleasure at the point: “I’m pleased but you can’t start a game one-nil which is effectively what we did by gifting them a goal. I made the changes and I think the subs made the game for us. Sam Corne showed why I signed him and how much we’ve missed him in these first few games. But to come back twice from being behind, we showed real character and any point away from home is a good one.”
Angels: 4-3-1-2 Harness; Sutcliffe, Thompson (cap), Beeden (Lintott) Akehurst; Brown (Corne), Bullas; Korboa; Tanga; Pavey (Reynolds), Baker (Babajide)
Subs not used: McDonald, Gardner, Burford
