Aveley 0, Billericay 1.

RYMAN PREMIER: IT WAS a case of better late than never for Billericay Town on Saturday, writes JAMES COLASANTI.

Benson Paka, who lost his place in the starting XI after arriving at the ground late, came on as a second-half substitute and scored a winner which meant so much to his manager and team.

Paka, delayed because of problems on the District Line, entered the fray as a 59th minute substitute and settled a poor quality game with 20 minutes to go.

It was a moment of sheer relief for Billericay manager Craig Edwards following a six-game losing streak in the league for his talented side.

He punched the air in celebration at the sound of the full-time whistle before walking over to applaud the travelling Billericay support.

He said: “They have stuck with us because I think they know we have not deserved to have been on such a poor run of results.

“It was not a pretty game, and we have played better and lost,but we needed that win and now we all need to learn from the lessons of those six games and move on.”

Edwards dropped first choice striker Bertie Brayey and keeper Nicky Morgan in an attempt to rejuvenate his side.

Harrison Chatting drew a smart low stop out of Aveley’s McCartney, and Junior Dadson — facing his former club — tested Ashley Jones in the Billericay goal in an instantly forgettable first half.

And the Mill Field’s second biggest crowd of the season —210 — had to wait until the 70th minute for a decisive moment of quality. Chatting unsettled the Millers’ defence and Paka — against his former club — took a steadying touch before firing into the bottom corner and past the unsighted Dave McCartney.

Suddenly Billericay — and more specifically Chatting —clicked into gear and he would have doubled their lead three minutes later but for a brilliant reaction save from McCartney.

And the Aveley keeper followed up with an equally good stop to deny Chris Wild’s stinging shot from the resulting corner.

With minutes to go, James Lawson was sent off for a hacking away Kenny Beany’s legs near the half-way line.

It was a stupid as it was pointless, but Town held on to pick up their first three point haul since mid-November.

Aveley (4-4-2): McCartney; Andrews, Russell, Harrison, Udoji; Dadson, Slatter (Yiga 70), Beany, Smith; Stanley (Hakan 73), Howell (Smith 73).

Billericay (4-5-1): Jones; Kersey, Flanagan Wildon, Anderson; Chatting, Hyde, Ngakam, Bonnett-Johnson, O’Rawe (Paka 59); Lawson.

Echo star man: Chris Wild (Billericay)