JAKE GETS STAR BILLING AGAIN AS RICAY RALLY!
RAMPANT Billericay are showing no signs of letting up in their pursuit of honours as they eased past Leiston at the AGP Arena.
Despite a punishing schedule that saw the Blues play eleven games in November, the home side made all the running as Leiston, who lost striker Matt Blake to injury in the warm-up, struggled to make any impact.
One player who certainly isn’t showing any signs of tiredness is Billericay striker Jake Robinson.
The prolific frontman bagged his fourth hat-trick of the season and is already closing in on thirty goals for the season.
Billericay took an early lead when Josh Urquhart launched a high, diagonal ball into the box towards Adam Cunnington.
Cunnington had it all too easy in the Leiston box, glancing a header into a vacant net with ‘keeper Marcus Garnham nowhere to be seen.
Leiston had plenty of possession, but not in areas of the pitch where they had any hope of hurting their hosts who were happy to wait and hit them on the break.
One such counter-attack allowed Robinson to break under pressure to the by-line before pulling back a cross.
However, Nick Wheeler fired over when it surely would have been easier to hit the target.
Billericay introduced Louie Theophanous early in the second half and he made an immediate impact, running at the Leiston goal before unleashing a shot that flew just wide.
His next involvement was even better, playing a delightful ball through the Leiston defence into the path of Robinson who produced a smart finish to double Town’s lead.
Two goals behind, Leiston finally managed to trouble Alan Julian in the Billericay goal when a free kick into the box was headed goalwards by Jack Ainsley.
Julian was equal to it, however, pushing the ball away with a diving save.
A minute later the points were in the bag. A Sam Deering corner was played towards the edge of the box where it was headed towards goal by Dean Inman.
Robinson showed his predatory instinct to beat Garnham to the ball and score his second.
He completed his hat-trick in stoppage-time as dispirited Leiston could hardly muster a challenge when Theophanous and Waldren played their way between them.
The ball was then squared to Robinson to stab in and leave Billericay within touching distance of the top of the table.