Invicta returned empty-handed from Essex on Good Friday, bemoaning a penalty decision (or lack of) but with 1st Team Manager Jay Saunders happy with what he saw from his side against potential Isthmian Premier Division champions Billericay Town.

The manager made just 1 change from his first game in charge, with Nathan Green returning from suspension in place of Matthias Fanimo, Invicta reverting to a back 3 with Frankie Morgan deployed as a left central defender. Invicta’s bench was boosted by the returns of Dan Smith and Joel-Michael Odeniran.

Invicta started positively, Brad Walledge firing over from a tight angle inside 2 minute, Nathan Green firing low across the face of goal a few minutes later, while the hosts were limited to a couple of blocked shots.

With Jack Jebb injured, Joe Turner took on set piece duties and almost created the first big chance of the afternoon with a free kick from wide on the left on 26 minutes, Billericay goalkeeper Sam Donkin forced into action at the back post to keep the ball from the head of Ade Yusuff. Evans Kouassi then fired over from the resulting corner. Gavin Hoyte headed wide from a corner on 35 minutes as the hosts appealed for a foul wasn’t given.

If anyone would be disappointed to go in level it was Invicta who carved out 2 chances just before the break. Yusuff and Kouassi linked on the break to create a chance for the former to fire just over at the near post. Into stoppage time Miquel Scarlett threaded a ball through a number of blue shirts to find Joe Turner on the edge of the penalty area but, under pressure from a defender, the midfielder was only able to force Donkin into a save with his feet.

The moment that may have defined the afternoon and potential the title race came inside the first minute of the 2nd half. Invicta quickly won a high throw in, working a crossing opportunity for Morgan that forced Donkin to punch only as far as Kouassi, the Invicta forward fired his effort beyond the keeper only to find the arm of Billericay defender Jay Porter on the goal-line. Despite strong appeals from the pitch and the bench a penalty, and almost certain dismissal, was not forthcoming.

Billericay forced a first save of the afternoon from Jonny Henly on the hour mark, Tyrell Miller-Rodney hitting a driven effort from 25 yards out. Invicta dealt with the first corner short and then cleared the 2nd but the hosts maintained the pressure, eventually feeding Bradley Williams to drive a low ball across the 6 yard box for Frankie Merrifield to turn home from close range.

Invicta hadn’t given up on throwing a spanner into the works of the Isthmian Premier promotion battle, Brad Walledge almost forced his name into the voting for goal of the season with an effort from near 30 yards that fizzed just past the top corner of Donkin’s goal. But Invicta were soon punished for not taking chances, ironically Porter the man to deliver the low cross this time, Merrifield doing well to beat Morgan to the ball to turn home another from close range.

Williams forced another good save from Henly before Kouassi and substitute Dan Smith found the target without testing Donkin. Substitute Moses Emmanuel was on the end of the chance to kill off the game with a few minute remaining, getting the ball back from Charlie Panton as the hosts countered quickly but unable to keep his effort down and striking the stand rather than the net.

Invicta were unable to punish the miss however, Turner shooting wide in injury time as handfuls of the 1,436 crowd were beginning to make their ways to the exit. Invicta were left to pick themselves up for Easter Monday’s final home fixture of the season against Lewes before travelling to Cray Valley PM on the final day of the season.