Billericay slumped to their biggest defeat of the season when they went down 4-2 at lowly Tooting & Mitcham, the first time they had lost a league game by more than one goal this season.

The game on paper at least, looked a good opportunity for the Blues to stretch their lead at the top of the league. The Blues had already beaten Tooting 5-1 at New Lodge earlier in the season, but this Tooting side would be a sterner test after the ‘Terrors’ were taken over by a consortium meaning a cash injection into the playing squad. Now managed by ex-QPR player Kenny Brown, they also contained ex-Blues Bertie Brayley and Steve Ferguson.

Craig Edwards started with four changes from the side that drew at Bury. Jerome Sobers made a surprise start in central midfield with Dave Collis given a start at right midfield. Glenn Poole came in for Harrison Chatting whilst Neil Cousins was given the nod ahead of Emeka Onwubike.

Billericay started the dominant side with Tooting finding little answer to the presence of Sobers in midfield and the strength of May upfront. But it was against the run of play that the home side struck when Reece Hall’s scuffed shot sent keeper Brightly the wrong way with the ball trickling over the Blues goaline. It took Billericay just two minutes to equalise. Jerome Sobers headed home his first Blues goal after Giddens failed to claim a Poole cross. The Blues were on top and Glenn Poole spurned a great opportunity when well placed, blazing wide. Giddens tipped a May header over the bar, but it Neil Cousins’ beautifully struck shot from 23 yards that put the league leaders ahead. Mo Habu for the home side was then lucky to stay on the pitch as his reckless lunge on Poole could easily have seen him red carded. Giddens was called into action again from a May shot and then a Swaine header was spectacularly cleared off the line as the Blues looked to increase their lead.

The game was 10 minutes old into the second half when Tooting equalised. Chris Wild failed to clear out wide allowing Ferguson to cross for Hall who duly obliged. Then came a moment of brilliance from Bertie Brayley. He chipped the ball over the on-rushing Dave Collis before scissor kicking into the top left hand corner. The Blues were not done. May powered a shot against the underneath of the crossbar but the resulting rebound would not drop for the unmarked Halle who then hurriedly headed over. Onwubike then forced Giddens into another good save whilst at the other end a James Hawes attempted clearance was almost sliced into his own net but kept out by a superb save from Brightly. Back at the other end a Chatting corner found the head of Rob Swaine who somehow put the ball over the bar from six yards out. Tooting wrapped the points up when Ronnie Fletcher shot thru a crowded penalty area from a corner in the last minute.

The Blues will need to get back to winning ways quickly if they are to challenge for the title. The current run sees just two wins from the last eight games, but with players now returning from injury, they should be more than capable of doing so.

Team: Brightly, Oates, Hawes, Jerome Sobers (Onwubike 74), Swaine, Wild, Poole (Berry 75), Collis, May, Neil Cousins (Chatting 75), Halle
Subs not used: Radley, Ottley