What a game for the neutrals, this was the classic game of two halves and Tonbridge Angels came out on top to move out of the relegation places.
The game started with Tonbridge coming out of the blocks the quickest and in the first six minutes they had numerous crosses into the Billericay area.
However as the saying goes goals change games, in the seventh minute Jake Robinson played Femi Akinwande in and from 15 yards he shot past Jonathan Henly.
Tonbridge had an opportunity to equalise in the 14th minute when a cross into the near post saw Tom Derry’s flicked shot force Alan Julian to push around the post for a corner.
However three minutes later Billericay extended their lead. Odysseus Alfa received the ball on the left wing and cut inside and from 25 yards saw his curling shot beat Henly.
In the 20th minute it was nearly three when a cross to the back post found Joshua Urquhart but his header came back of the post and Robinson’s follow up shot was blocked by Henly & cleared.
Tonbridge could and maybe should have pulled a goal back when Christ Tiehi put Khalid Da Costa in the area but he blasted his shot over the bar.
With the game taking on an end to end tone Alfa then received the ball on the left wing and cut in but his shot from 20 yards was pushed away by Henly for a corner.
Henly was in action minutes later when Faysal Bettache tried his luck from 25 yards but again Henly pushed it away.
In the 33rd minute that man Alfa again got to the by-line and his low cross was deflected for a corner. From the resulting corner Jacob Cook saw his volley punched clear by Henly & Robinson reacted the quickest but his goal bound shot was blocked.
In the space of two minutes Tonbridge had a couple of half chances when firstly Da Costa saw his cross shot punched away by Julian & then Ben Greenhalgh’s cross into the 6 yard box found Da Costa on his own but he headed over the bar.
The second half started the same as the first with Tonbridge starting the quicker & this time they kept possession of the ball better & forced Billericay to defend more.
Four minutes after the restart Tonbridge got a goal back when DaCosta’s free kick from 30 yards on the left beat everyone & ended up in the back of the net.
Two minutes later and the stadium erupted when Ben Greenhalgh’s cross into the area was headed in by Tom Derry from 6 yards.
Billericay were stunned by this but they were still in the game. They should have regained the lead on the hour mark when a ball forward was chested down by Akinwande for Robinson but from 25 yards he blasted it over the bar.
In the 67th minute Tonbridge turned the game on its head as they took the lead when Joe Tuner got to the by-line & his cross to the back post found Da Costa who head in from 3 yards.
Billericay nearly got out of jail with an equaliser in the six minutes from time, the ball was being ushered out of play by Henly but Robinson had other ideas and nicked the ball before seeing his goal bound effort headed of the line by Jack Parter.
The final few minutes saw Billericay desperately try to get an equaliser but Tonbridge saw the game out to capture a vital three points.
TONBRIDGE ANGELS: 1. J.Henley 2. J.Folkes ( Bentley 62) 3. J.Parter 4. C.Tiehi 5. S.Miles 6. R.Bray 7. K.Da Costa 8. H.Donovan 9. T.Derry (Williams 74) 10. B.Greenhalgh (Small 74) 11. J.Turner
Subs not used: 15. T.Hession-Harris 17. E.Mcdonald
BILLERICAY TOWN: 1. A.Julian 2. L.Ramsey 3. C.Kennedy (Kefalas 45) 5. R.Henry 7.O.Alfi 8. J.Cook 9. J.Robinson 10. D.Moore ( Paxman 64) 11. F.Akinwade ( Osei-Bonusu 63) 12. J.Urquhart 16. F.Bettache
Subs not used: 15. B.Nunn 20. A.Krasqini
Referee: Mr W.Cartmel
Assistants: Mr R.Dix & Mr G.Heron