Billericay bid farewell to this seasons FA Trophy with a narrow defeat at Conference South side Maidenhead United.

Manager Craig Edwards made just one change to the side that demolished Horsham in the league on Tuesday. Harrison Chatting regained a start on the left wing whilst Junior Luke made do with a place on the bench.

The Blues had the better of the opening exchanges with the lively pairing of Onwubiko and Chatting causing the home rear-guard problems with their pace and trickery. The game however became increasingly scrappy with Maidenhead content to spoil the play of their lower placed opposition. Midway through the half a long ball over the top allowed Reece Tison-Lascaris to run unchallenged before unleashing a daisy cutter that somehow managed to beat the hands of Dale Brightly in goal. This was to be the home sides only shot on target during the entire 90 minutes! The Blues pressed hard for the remainder of the half but with the exception of a couple of tantalising crosses, they barely troubled Billy Lumley in the home goal.

The second half started in much the same vein as the first, it was all Billericay. Harrison Chatting was agonisingly a whisker away from a Benson Kpaka cross and then Jay May forced Lumley into a fine save. The pressure was increasing on the home defence with Chatting in particular enjoying success. And it was he who went the closest to equalising when his shot hit the inside of the post and across the face of the goal. Billy Lumley was again called into action when a Chris Wild header seemed goalbound. It was Wild again who missed a late chance to give the Blues a replay that they deserved.

The hardy band of loyal travelling Blues saw their chances of a 4th visit to Wembley disappear for another season, but with two tough away games coming up in the league, know that the ultimate prize of success lays elsewhere.
 
Team: Brightly, Berry, Collis, Kpaka (Luke 69), Swaine, Wild, Chatting, Edwards, May, Onwubiko (Akinola 76), Halle
Subs not used: Oates, Luke, Ottley