Billericay Town 2 (Kaiser OG 20, Watts 118) – Brentwood Town 1 (Thomas 36)
Match report by Benn Mapp.
Callum Watts struck deep into extra time to send Billericay Town into the National League South, sealing a dramatic 2-1 victory over Brentwood Town in the Isthmian Premier Division play-off final.
A cagey opening saw Billericay carve out the first clear chance, with Charlie Ruff’s effort brilliantly blocked by Alejandro Machado before Jon Benton’s follow-up was also denied.
Brentwood responded with a chance of their own, as Kymani Thomas fired over from the edge of the area.
The deadlock was broken on 20 minutes when the hosts took the lead, Elliot Long’s looping cross being headed into his own net by the unfortunate Ethan Kaiser.
Billericay nearly doubled their advantage five minutes later, when Long slid Benton through, only for the midfielder to poke his effort inches wide of the post.
Brentwood grew into the game and found their equaliser nine minutes before the interval when Thomas arrived at the back post to turn home Bradley Sach’s low delivery and bring his side level.
The hosts almost restored their lead just before the break when Watts volleyed into the side netting, but the sides went in all square at half-time after a tense opening 45 minutes.
The visitors started the second half brightly, with Sach testing the palms of James Holden, before Danny Ogunleye headed just wide following a mix-up between Holden and Ollie Parsons.
Brentwood continued to look the more likely to score, with Wyan Reid firing over from distance just past the hour mark.
Billericay attempted to wrestle back control in the closing stages. Watts dragged a shot wide with ten minutes remaining, before Aiden Prall produced a fine save to keep out Macauley Bonne’s header.
Both sides had chances to win it in stoppage time. Alfie Cerulli fired over from just inside the area, before at the other end Max Hudson curled a shot straight at Holden with the final action of normal time.
Extra time saw Billericay carry the greater attacking threat. Prall pushed away Long’s effort on 98 minutes, before Bonne’s low cross somehow evaded Frankie Merrifield inside the six-yard box.
The pressure continued in the second period of extra time, with Cerulli heading agonisingly wide from eight yards and Long shooting narrowly past the near post.
The decisive moment arrived two minutes from time. Watts reacted quickest to a loose ball and fired into the bottom corner via a deflection off Cerulli, sending New Lodge into pandemonium.
Brentwood threw everything forward in the closing seconds, but Billericay held firm to secure a famous victory.
The win sees Billericay return to the National League South after a four-year absence, with Danny Scopes guiding the club to promotion less than eight months after taking charge.
Billericay Town: Holden; Lewis-Burgess, Scott, Parsons, Porter; Evans, Watts; Long, Ruff (Bonne 63), Benton (Cerulli 85); Merrifield
Subs not used: Miller-Rodney, Collis
Brentwood Town: Prall; Reid, Cripps, Kaiser (Vaivada 119), Freeman (Hudson 75); Machado, Edwards (Cole 75), Johnson; Ogunleye, Sach (Olukolu 71), Thomas (Hughes 90+3)
Subs not used: N/A
Referee: Henry Harvey
Attendance: 3,200