Stones made to pay for missed opportunities

WEALDSTONE paid a heavy price for a dramatic penalty save early on in an evenly balanced National League South encounter at Billericay, which they lost 1-0.

Stones could have turned the ultimate outcome of this match hugely in their favour when they were awarded a spot kick after only 14 minutes when Dean Inman was fouled in the area. The Stevenage loanee confidently stepped up the take the penalty but his effort was well read by Alan Julian, who dived to his right to comfortably make the save.

Prior to the penalty Stones looked the better and more enterprising side and attacked with real threat, Bradley HudsonOdoi particularly causing problems for the expensively assembled and powerful home side.

Yet Billericay’s talismanic striker Jake Robinson gave the hosts the lead midway through the first half, confidently stroking the ball past the exposed Jon North.

To their credit Stones piled forward in an attempt to peg Billericay back and created several good opportunities to level.

The best fell to the everbusy David Pratt, who saw his low strike confidently dealt with by substitute keeper Louis Wells, with Joe White having earlier seen a couple of glancing headers go wide.

So Stones left Essex without any points and were left to rue their missed chances, but will be again heartened by a strong performance against the title favourites at this early stage of the campaign.