Match report by Simon Williams. Photos by Amanda Protheroe.
Billericay's season took another twist as they beat runaway league leaders to book a place in this season's league cup semi-finals. After a long wait for goals in the league, Joe Flack and Billy Bricknell both rediscovered their scoring touch whilst Dave Wareham added the third from the spot.
There were a number of changes following Saturday's defeat at home to Horsham with Michael Alaile and Paul Shave both cup tied, and Jamie Dormer missing with a back injury. Neil Marron, Wayne Semanshia, Steven Ferguson and Joe Flack all started as Billericay reverted to 4-4-2.
Dover, despite making a number of changes themselves, showed why they are dominating the league as they made a rapid start, stringing together plenty of passes that left Town chasing shadows with Sam Jones pulling the strings for the visitors up front.
Billericay weathered the early onslaught, and gradually began to create chances of their own with Billy Bricknell denied by 'keeper Preston Edwards before he could pull the trigger just inside the area. Minutes later Jones fired in a cross for the visitors that seemingly only needed a touch to give Dover the lead, but none was forthcoming.
The opening goal arrived when Steven Ferguson beat Dean Hill on the right wing. He looked up and picked out Joe Flack with the cross, Flack heading the ball down and past Edwards into the net.
Dover hit back ten minutes later when a clumsy challenge on Jones gave them a direct free kick just outside the area. Veteran player-manager Andy Hessenthaler curled the ball round the wall and past the diving Tony Tucker. Parity was short lived, as Town quickly regained the lead. Ashley Dumas picked out Billy Bricknell who got past Olly Schultz before drawing the keeper and slotting home.
The second half was barely a minute old when Dover were awarded a penalty when Duncan tripped Giuliano Grazzioli. Jerahl Hughes stepped up to take the spot kick, but Tucker guessed right and made the save, holding Hughes' shot.
Billericay were then awarded a penalty of their own, and as with Dover's it was clear cut with Laurence Ball being the culprit with a trip on Flack. Joe Flack had to go off the pitch after receiving treatment so Dave Wareham had to be pressed into service as penalty taker. He made no mistake, smashing his shot past Edwards.
Dover threw players forwards in search of the equalliser, but could only pull a single goal back when Graziolli got the final touch in a goalmouth scramble following a corner. Billericay held on until the final whistle saw them move just a single game away from the final. Not for the first time this season Billericay produced a good performance against one of the better teams, making it all the more frustrating that they have not always played so well against the teams at the other end of the table.
