Billericay Town Ladies 3 - Chelmsford City Ladies 0

Pre Season Friendly - Sunday 30th July - Venue: New Lodge, Billericay

Billericay beat local rivals in pre-season friendly

Billericay Town Ladies FC started their season with a good 3 – 0 home win over local side Chelmsford City on Sunday.

The match was played in memory of Hazel Lily Paul, late mother of Natalie Paul ex Chelmsford and Billericay player. £94 was raised through a raffle which was donated to the British Heart Foundation.

In hot playing conditions and a hard ground both teams initially found it hard to settle into the game. Julie Willis in goal for Billericay made a couple of excellent early saves to deny Chelmsford before having to be replaced by Wendy Palmer through injury.

The second half proved more positive for both sides as they adapted to the conditions and played some good passing football creating more chances on goal.

Billericay were the first score in the 55th minute as they broke from defence. Linda Wiltshire out paced the visitors defence and put a good pass across the penalty area which found the advancing Kerry Oldham who cleverly cut inside a Chelmsford defender and passed back to Marie Barker who calmly slotted the ball into the top right corner of the Chelmsford goal.

This goal spread confidence through the Billericay team as they continued attacking forward.

Emma Bull playing left back for Billericay made an inspiring run down the left wing 5 minutes after the first goal. She played a great 1-2 with Tracey Rodd and continued her run down the wing. Bull then unleashed a left footed shot from outside the penalty area which sweetly chipped the Chelmsford keeper and fell into the back of the goal.

Billericay finished the scoring in the 77th minute when Elaine Sykes won a header in the middle of the field. The ball fell nicely to Oldham whose pass split the Chelmsford defence and Lisa Robins run on to slot the ball past the advancing keeper.

Kim Coster, Manager of Billericay commented after the match “this was a good all round team performance and with many new faces coming into the squad we are looking forward to building on today’s result”.