Match report by Simon Williams.
Photos by Amanda Protheroe.

Billericay crashed out of the FA Cup at Chesham on Saturday. With the scores level, it seemed as though the two sides would be meeting again at New Lodge until Leon Archer and Steve Wales took the match away from Billericay. Late goals have been the Blues' undoing on a number of occasions already this season with the equalisers conceded against Waltham Abbey and Hastings, and Hendon's late winner costing them five points. Had they held on in those three games, and on this occasion, then they would be sitting tenth in the league, and still in the FA Cup. As it is they are currently in the bottom four, and manager Brian Statham faces a massive task as he seeks to rebuild his side's shattered confidence.

As against Harrow in midweek, Town got off to a bad start when some static defending allowed Steve Wales to run through onto Darrell Cox's header and open the scoring with a confident finish. Atypically for Billericay games this season, the first half was full of fast attacking play with neither defence looking particularly solid. The home side had the better of the possession with Town looking to hit them on the break with Dave Wareham to the fore. Andy Walker again showed his undoubted quality with a fine save before Town equalised from an unlikely source.

A Billericay corner fell to Ian Cousins who turned inside defender Sam Ledger before blasting the ball home with his, weaker, right foot.  Minutes later Ledger's afternoon got worse when he collided with former Billericay defender Ollie Adedeji, allowing Jo Flack a run on goal. He still had work to do to beat 'keeper Richard Hayward, but he noticed that he was off his line and produced a fine lob to give his side the lead.

Another of Billericay's achilles heels this season is their propensity for conceding penalties, and it was from the fourth spot kick they have given away this season that Chesham again levelled the scores, Danny Talbot firing home after Walker had been judged to have brought down Cox.

The second half saw both sides tighten up defensively, and there were fewer clear-cut chances to be had as a consequence. Town's best fell to Billy Bricknell when a defensive mix-up gave him a clear shot on goal, but his effort went wide. At the other end Archer was denied by Walker, but as the game wore on under the autumn sun it increasingly became a battle of attrition with neither side willing to gamble on going for the win.

All that went out of the window in the ninetieth minute when the Billericay defence switched off and allowed Leon Archer to break clear. The Chesham striker kept his head to coolly round Walker and give his side the decisive goal. Billericay threw caution to the wind in injury time but to no avail as, with almost all the Billericay team committed to attack Steve Wales scored his second, bundling the ball home after Archer's shot had rebounded off the crossbar.

CHESHAM UNITED

Team: Richard Hayward, John Kyriacou, Sam Ledger, Ollie Adedeji (Danny Gudgeon 70m), Danny Talbot (c), Mark Lambert, Dave Fotheringham (Steve Obeng 76m), Steve Wales, Leon Archer, Darrell Cox (Chris Bangura 82m), Michael Bardle

Subs Not Used: Lewis Laws, Michael Underwood, Kevin Cotton, Danny Burnell

Goalscorers: John Kyriacou (5m), Danny Talbot (45m (pen)), Leon Archer (90+1m), Steve Wales (90+3m)

Yellow Cards: John Kyriacou (22m), Leon Archer (90m)

Red Cards: None


BILLERICAY TOWN

Team: Andy Walker, Russell Pond (Chris Sullivan 81m), Ashley Dumas, Michael Shinn, Greg Oates, Ian Cousins (c), Fiston Manuella (Dave McSweeney 70m), Jamie Dormer, Jo Flack, Billy Bricknell, Dave Wareham (Spencer Knight 82m)

Subs Not Used: James Baker, Harrison Chatting, Luca Frankis, Lewis Lockyer

Goalscorers: Ian Cousins (33m), Jo Flack (40m)

Yellow Cards: Andy Walker (90+6m)

Red Cards: None


HT: 2-2
Attendance: 422

Referee: D Bushell
Assistant Referees: P Smith & R Howes