Hemel Town lose again as winless streak moves to seven games

Hemel Town's winless run is now at seven games after they lost 2-0 at home to Billlericay Town on Saturday.
It was another day of near-misses for Hemel Town against Billericay on Saturday. (File picture by Marc Keinch)It was another day of near-misses for Hemel Town against Billericay on Saturday. (File picture by Marc Keinch)
It was another day of near-misses for Hemel Town against Billericay on Saturday. (File picture by Marc Keinch)

The Tudors failure to take chances cost them the points again in a repeat of the previous game at Torquay where they had the majority of the first period, but ended up going in at the break on level terms.

Billericay, who are in second place in the National League South table, could have been excused for putting in a subdued shift after the week they’d had, with colourful chairman Glenn Tamplin announcing he was quitting the club, leaving them with a hugely uncertain future.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But the visitors worked hard as a group and the unpredictable Tamplin was on his best behaviour at Vauxhall Road, taking his place on the bench as assistant manager, his future still uncertain.

Ex-Tudor’s favourite Jake Robinson started the game but he was kept quiet in the first-half as the hosts took the game to Ricay.

Jordan Parkes had a shot deflected over the bar early on and this was very much the story of the half as Hemel put together some decent moves that kept the visitors on the back foot.

Billy Clifford cleared the bar from the edge of the box on 20 minutes after a corner was only half cleared and shortly after this, skipper Parkes sent a free-kick narrowly wide with the keeper beaten.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Then another superb passing move ended up with Joe Howe racing on to a lovely ball from Herschel Sanchez Watt on the edge of the box but he ended up firing over the bar with the goal gaping, much to the frustration of the home crowd.

Steve Cawley headed wide at the back post after a corner was headed back across goal by Darren Ward and minutes later he hit the top of the bar with another header after some more great build-up play by Hemel.

Just before the break, Stuart McCall robbed a defender on the halfway line and raced clear before laying the ball back to Parkes but he copied the earlier efforts by driving the ball over the top.

Tudors fans were expecting the worst when the sides went in at the interval, Billericay had yet to muster a shot in anger while Hemel had dominated proceedings.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After being under the cosh for most of the first 45 minutes, Billericay made a change at the break, bringing on the tall Adam Cunningham, but it was Hemel who could have broken the deadlock when McCall did well on the right, cutting inside before curling his shot just past the post with Billericay keeper Alan Julian beaten.

On 48 minutes there was a rare foray down the right from Ricay and the ball was driven across the goal to the waiting Cunningham who picked his spot to put the Essex side in front. It was their first attempt on target and Cunningham’s first touch, but it proved to be the turning point in the game.

Cunningham could have made it 2-0 moments later, again arriving at the back post unmarked, but Hemel stopper Laurie Walker saved well.

After this let off, Hemel pushed forward but just couldn’t get back into the game as the visitors defended in numbers and looked dangerous on the counter. Indeed, Walker had to make some excellent stops to keep his side in it.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

As the home side pushed forward in search of an equaliser they had a couple of half-chances but with the clock ticking down and Billericay quite content to see the game out, the inevitable happened on 90 minutes when another break down the right ended with substitute Moses Emmanuel putting the game to bed with Hemel’s back-line nowhere to be seen.

As the final whistle blew, another decent crowd was left frustrated as they saw their side fail to capitalise on an excellent first-half performance and are now seven games without a win and just three points off the bottom three.

The last few games have seen a recurring theme with The Tudors making plenty of chances but failing to take them. Manager Dean Brennan would be more concerned if his side weren’t creating so he will be hoping it is only a matter of time before they find their scoring boots.

Hemel v Billericay: Laurie Walker, Joe Howe (Lloyd Doyley, 62 minutes), Kyle Connolly, Jorden Parkes, Darren Ward, Tom Hamblin, James Kaloczi (Karl Oliyide, 54 minutes), Billy Clifford, Steve Cawley, Herschel Sanchez Watt, Spencer McCall (Alex Osborn, 54 minutes). Subs not used 15: Reece Prestodge 17: George Paulin.

Attendance: 821.

Mitch’s man of the match: Laurie Walker.