Billericay Town hammered a giant dent in the Ryman League Premier Division title ambitions of near neighbours Canvey Island on Saturday.

Gulls' recent heroics have obviously stirred opposition sides to strive to even greater lengths to beat them and it has to be said that Jeff King's Islanders were eventually outbattled by an opposition with more will to win in an entertaining clash.

Canvey started off in brilliant style and took advantage of a home rearguard that, without injured Dave Culverhouse, had a very much jittery look about it in the opening 20 minutes.

In fact, only three minutes had gone when Neil Gregory was left unmarked to head his side ahead from Steve Tilson's free-kick.

To be fair, Gulls should have used their superiority over the next stage of the game to put the match out of Billericay's reach, but they failed to show the killer touch and Gary Calder's men gradually clawed their way back into the action.

Even before the interval they showed signs of getting on terms and, after the break, they dominated for long spells.

By this stage little was happening for the Islanders as an attacking force with top scorer Wayne Vaughan for once off-song - a 53rd minute shot beaten out by Gavin King before putting the rebound across goal and wide the nearest he came to finding the target.

At the other end, five minutes later, midfield dangerman Paul Linger took advantage of good play by front runner Danny Boateng to strike an effort which caught the outside of the post before going wide.

Canvey, who had earlier lost Alex Inglethorpe with a calf injury to be replaced by Sammy Cooper, sent on Andy Jones for off-colour Vaughan.

Gulls' all-time record scorer Jones combined with John Kennedy for the latter to send in a shot which King held and Chris Duffy, in his first League game for two months following a groin operation, forced the keeper to a good save.

But Billericay generally had the upper hand and it will surprise no one to know that star man Joe Baker was pulling most of the strings by now.

Steve Ward, the hero of the FA Cup clash with Southend United a fortnight earlier, had generally enjoyed another outstanding display against Baker at the heart of defence. However, ex-Leyton Orient man Baker was becoming an increasing influence and beat Canvey's Ashley Harrison with a superb effort.

The equaliser came after the Gulls had sloppily given the ball away in a dangerous position with 20 minutes to go.

A superb save from King to turn wide a great strike from Mick Bodley came close to putting Canvey back in the lead, but it was Town who were looking stronger now.

Their chance of taking all three points seemed to have gone with two minutes to go. Boateng launched an impressive run which saw his shot rebound from Harrison's body only for the normally clinical Linger to slash the rebound over the top.

Boateng then headed over from Baker's cross. However, it was Baker who settled the issue in the third minute of injury-time when he collected a superb through ball from Linger, left the visiting rearguard for dead, and beat Harrison all ends up from an acute angle.

It was Baker's seventh goal in five games and left home fans in a big pre-Christmas crowd of 1,056 in delirious mood.

"Sometimes games such as this are all about battling as well as playing good football and we were second best in that department here," said Canvey coach Glenn Pennyfather.

"I thought that was a lesson we had learned by now."

And Gulls boss Jeff King added: "I thought we looked a tired side out there."

The warning signs are definitely there for Canvey in their title bid as this was their third successive away defeat, but Billericay certainly look on the up as this was their fourth victory on the trot and Baker, who has shown fantastic ability on the ball since his arrival last season, is now adding deadly finishing to his superb running skills.

Both sides, and sets of fans, deserve congratulation for the part they played in the entertainment and referee Tony Conn complimented both teams when he said: "I thought it was a well-contested derby played in exactly the right spirit."

It's there - Canvey goalscorer Neil Gregory celebrates his strike Picture: LUAN MARSHALL

By Dick Marshall

Reporter's e-mail: dick.marshall@notes.newsquest.co.uk

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