Match Report by Simon Williams. Photos by Amanda Protheroe.
Billericay's FA Cup dreams were shattered for another year as they lost to Sutton on Saturday. Town were left to wonder what might have been after they produced an encouraging opening half where they created a number of decent goal-scoring opportunities. The second half was a different matter however, as Sutton's greater strength in depth allowed them to make substitutions at the crucial moment to take the game away from Billericay. After going two goals behind, Town pulled one back through Dave Wareham, but any hopes of a memorable come-back were dashed as they were reduced to ten men and Sutton added a late third to put the result beyond doubt.
Billericay made two changes from their midweek win over the same opposition with Jack Buckfield back in goal and Steve Heffer in midfield in place of the suspended Paul Shave. With Bradley Woods-Garness suffering a recurrence of the knee injury that has plagued his season so far, their options on the bench were severely limited, although there was a welcome return for Jamie Dormer who made his first appearance in a blue shirt since March.
Perhaps spurred on by the imminent return of Dormer, the first half saw Town's midfield pass the ball arguably as well as they have all season. With Steve Heffer playing a holding role in front of the back four, Leon Hunter was liberated to get forward more often than when he plays alongside Shave and he was involved in Town's first chance. Hunter's pass was flicked on by Billy Bricknell to his strike partner Joe Flack whose shot with his weaker left foot was pushed behind by Sutton 'keeper Paul Nicholls.
Billericay were getting plenty of success down their left wing with both Dave Wareham and Steven Ferguson getting past the Sutton right back, Jake Smith on more than one occasion. One such run, from Ferguson, resulted in a corner that was turned onto the post by Steve Heffer; the ball hitting Nicholls before bouncing behind.
It was then Sutton's turn to test the woodwork as they finished the half the stronger – Delando Smith broke from midfield before unleashing a thunderous shot that rattled the crossbar before bouncing away to safety.
Whereas Billericay had had the better chances of the first half, the home side took charge of the second. When Lynvall Duncan was penalised for a foul just outside the area, Sutton took the opportunity to make a double substitution with Deam Palmer and Billy Dunn entering the fray. Dunn's first taste of the action was to get the faintest of touches to Gavin Heeroo's free kick to divert the ball past the diving Buckfield.
Sutton forced Billericay back and Daniel Webb hit the inside of the post after good work from Gavin McCallum. The second goal duly arrived when Karl Murray's shot was saved by Buckfield only for Webb to prod home from close range.
Billericay had struggled to create much of note in the second half, but were gifted a way back into the game when Nicholls followed up his blunder in the league game by mis-judging a cross from Dave Wareham that crept inside the net at the far post.
Town were visibly lifted by the goal, but were quickly reduced to ten men when Lynvall Duncan was shown a second yellow card for a pull on McCallum. Town had to attack and were leaving gaps at the back as a consequence so it was no surprise when Sutton added a late third, the impressive McCallum applying the finishing touch to a swift counter-attack.
