Match report by Simon Williams. Photos by Amanda Protheroe.
It is not often that Billericay can be compared to Manchester United, but the New Lodge outfit appear to have taken a leaf out of the Mancunians' book in recent weeks. Although they have some way to go to match United's run of clean sheets, this was Tony Tucker's third successive clean sheet (Ronnie Worster was in goal for the win over Waltham Abbey in which a re-jigged defence conceded two goals). It may be stating the obvious, but that makes it no less true, to say that if you don't concede you only need one goal to win. Those three clean sheets have been matched with a grand total of three goals bringing home six points and a place in the quarter finals of the league cup.
After the weekend weather frustrated Town's plans to play Tonbridge at the weekend, they were able to select from a position of relative strength for the visit of AFC Hornchurch with only Steve Heffer unavailable from the side that had won at Sutton. Michael Alaile was cup-tied and Matt Game and Dave McSweeney are still injured, but otherwise Billericay were at full strength.
Billericay made a bright start when Ashley Dumas' through ball found Bradley Woods-Garness whose attempted lob brushed the top of the bar. The referee gave a corner even though Jason Wills hadn't been able to get near the shot, however Billericay failed to capitalise and AFC Hornchurch were able to clear their lines.
The visitors' best chance of the half came when Simon Parker broke clear of Tim Cole, however Tucker was equal to the threat and saved at Parker's feet.
With the Billericay pitch heavily sanded in places, passing football was not always easy, but the goal came from a nice move down the Billericay right. A wayward kick from Wills fell to Leon Hunter in the Town midfield. He played the ball to Steven Ferguson who sped past half-hearted challenges from Billy Coyne and Andy Tomlinson before delivering a low cross that was turned in by Woods-Garness for his third goal in three league cup games this season.
The second half saw AFC Hornchurch push forward strongly in search of an equaliser, with Town for the most part happy to absorb the pressure and then attack on the break. Billericay's defence stood firm with Duncan and Cole both having strong games and Ashley Dumas producing arguably his best performance in a Billericay shirt, covering the runners when the visitors tried to break clear with some well timed challenges.
The closest the visitors came to scoring was with a cross-shot from Andy Tomlinson that Tucker tipped over. At the other end Bradley Woods-Garness again grazed the bar with an attempted lob before being replaced by Joe Flack. Flack carried on where Woods-Garness had left off and, deep into injury time, his shot beat Wills but once again found the bar, with the rebound falling kindly for the defenders.
Town closed out the game efficiently and will entertain Dover in the next round.
