Having suffered the disappointment of having their opening league game at Bromley postponed Bob Batchford’s Reserve team travelled to Billericay Town on Wednesday 15th September hoping to get their season off to a flying start. For this opening game Bob Batchford selected the following side: Lewis Batchford; Liam Bellamy; Louis O’Sullivan; Max Johnson; Lewis Payne; Ricky Modeste; Daniel Lopez; Matthew Lock; Robert Edmans; Tyrone Scarlett and Taylor Thomas. Substitutes were - Adam Vyce; Mark Crick; Lee Newton; Jacob Erskine and Ryan Batchford.

The side included a number of first team squad players who were keen to get some playing time under their belts, including Matthew Lock who was returning from injury. It took City only three minutes to take the lead through Robert Edmans and in a fairly even first half Billericay twice equalised, firstly after thirteen minutes and then again after thirty nine minutes when they scored from a penalty. Tyrone Scarlett had put City 2-1 up after thirty five minutes.

So it was all square at the break, but City made the second forty five minutes their own and scored a further two goals to run out comfortable 4-2 winners. Bob gave run outs to substitutes Mark Crick, Lee Newton and Jacob Erskine who replaced Taylor Thomas, Robert Edmans and Matthew Lock respectively. Two quick goals by Ricky Modeste after seventy nine and eighty one minutes sealed the points for City for whom Robert Edmans won the man of the match accolades for his one hundred per cent effort and the opening goal of the game.

This win put City in fifth place in the Easter Division table with Braintree Town setting the pace with six points from their opening four games. At this early stage of the season, only thirteen games have been played, there are only two unbeaten sides in the Eastern Division, Canvey Island and Chelmsford City, although both of these teams have played just a solitary game.