Weston defeated Billericay 1-0 to send the Essex club back to the Ryman League.

WESTON-S-MARE 1

BILLERICAY TOWN 0

BILLERICAY suffered a horrendous day on their first-ever Blue Square South visit to Weston, which culminated with their relegation to the Ryman League after only one season at the higher level.

They started their journey in Essex at 9am, but were held up by a serious accident on the M4 motorway and reached their destination just before 4pm with the game kicking off at 4.35pm.

Despite all this, they had much the better of the exchanges, especially in the first half, but were finally beaten by an 85th-minute strike.

Billericay’s first chance came on nine minutes when Jay May burst through and his lobbed effort just cleared the home crossbar with keeper Lewis Carey beaten. Then, Paul Semakula fired narrowly across goal when well placed.

Weston’s best chance came on 31 minutes when giant Billericay defender Chris Wild headed against his own crossbar trying to deal with Dayle Grubb’s in-swinging free kick. Luckily for the visitors the danger was cleared.

Twice Pete Monks went close for Weston, once with a curling cross and then with a low effort that went just past the near post.

As Billericay came back, Carey did well to claim an excellent header from Jay May and skipper Glen Poole fired just over.

Billlericay forced a couple of corners early in the second half, but as Weston got more into the game, Grubb fired just over and Ashley Kington had an effort blocked by the legs of keeper Kevin Scriven, who had previously played at the Woodspring Stadium for Farnborough, Havant and Waterlooville and Sutton United.

Kington made a strong run from midfield which ended with a shot shaving the visitors’ goal and Grubb was again just over. During this period, Weston had two strong claims for penalties turned down when Kayne McClaggon and Jamie Price were bundled over.

With the game looking to be heading for a second scoreless encounter between the sides this season, Weston forced a couple of corners and from Grubb’s flag kick, substitute Kane Ingram beat Scriven on his far post.

Straight after the restart, Semakula almost salvaged a point for the visitors when his fierce 20-yard effort just shaved the home crossbar.

WESTON STATS

Goals: Weston, Ingram (85).

Shots on target: Weston 4, Billericay 2.

Shots off target: Weston 5, Billericay 9.

Corners: Weston 4, Billericay 5.

Offsides: Weston 4, Billericay 4.

Free kicks conceded: Weston 17, Billericay 13.

Referee: Adrian Quelch (New Milton). Made some contentious decisions that upset both sides.

Bookings: Weston, Jamie Laird. Billericay, Ashton.

Weston squad: Carey, Price, Monks, Trowbridge, Villis, Jamie Laird, Stearn (Ingram 55), Kirk, McClaggon (Hemmings 75), Kington (Alvarez 79). Subs (not used) Slocombe, Callum Laird.