Black strike beats Billericay

Billericay 0 Hornchurch 1

Hornchurch moved to within a point of the top of the Ryman Premier Division table with victory at leaders Billericay yesterday.

Tommy Black struck on the hour at New Lodge to earn Urchins their tenth away win in 11 league outings this season.

And it was no more than the visitors deserved for a hard-working display against table-topping Blues.

The home side relied heavily on set-pieces, particularly long throw-ins, for their best chances and Emeka Onwubiko headed over from one of them on 16 minutes.

Elliot Styles headed wide from a Jon Hunt free-kick eight minutes before half-time.

And Hunt saw another free-kick come back off the crossbar early in the second half.

The only goal of the game came after Michael Spencer combined with Simon Glover on the left, then took a return pass from Martin Tuohy before sending in a low cross.

Black’s first effort was blocked on the line by a defender, but he got a second chance and made sure, to the delight of the travelling Hornchurch fans behind Dale Brightly’s goal.

Billericay went close to an equalizer with 14 minutes left when Rob Swaine met Sam Berry’s corner from the left, only to see his header superbly kept out by Joe Woolley.

But despite pushing Brightly into attack at a couple of late set-pieces, the hosts could not find a way through a dogged Urchins defence.