Brentwood Town 0-3 Billericay Town (Long 42, Parsons 67, Gibbs OG 78)
Match Report Ben Mapp
Match photos Jon Bird
Elliot Long’s goal late in the first half set Billericay on their way to a comfortable Essex Senior Cup victory away to Brentwood Town as they began their defence of the county cup.
Brentwood started the game on top and had the first attempt of the match on five minutes when former Billericay defender Ryan Henshaw headed into the gloves of debutant keeper Jamie Grossart.
The home side continued to have the better of the early exchanges, and Grossart was needed again on 17 minutes to make a sharp stop from Malachi Linton.
Billericay took a while to get a foothold in the game but had their first sight of goal ten minutes later when Long took aim from the edge of the box, though his effort flew over Aidan Prall’s crossbar.
The visitors then tested Prall twice in three minutes, with both Odei Martin Sorondo and Long seeing their attempts held by the Brentwood keeper.
Henshaw tried his luck from distance down the other end after Billericay cleared a corner, but Grossart was able to catch the defender’s strike.
The deadlock was broken three minutes before the break when a neat Billericay move saw Jon Benton tee up Long, who fired left-footed across Prall and into the far corner to give the Blues a half-time lead.
Billericay picked up where they left off in the second half and almost doubled their lead on 53 minutes, though Charlie Ruff’s deflected strike flew inches past the upright.
Ruff continued to be a focal point of Billericay’s attacks and saw another effort bounce wide nine minutes later.
The away side did find a second goal on 67 minutes when Brentwood failed to clear a free-kick, allowing George Wind’s deflected cross to be headed home by Ollie Parsons from six yards out.
Brentwood looked for a route back into the tie, and Grossart was on hand to push over Andy Freeman’s inswinging corner from under the bar.
Long remained a threat for the Blues on the break and had two further chances as the game moved into the final 20 minutes, first seeing his strike saved by Prall at his near post before blazing over from the edge of the box moments later.
The result was secured on 78 minutes when a slick Billericay move ended with Jay Porter’s cross being turned into his own net by Brentwood captain Harry Gibbs.
Brentwood looked for a consolation and almost found it when substitute Milan Trotman’s curling strike forced Grossart into a spectacular diving save.
Billericay looked for a fourth and thought they had found it when Macauley Bonne broke through and set up Siju Odelusi to score, but the linesman’s flag was up.
Bonne nearly put the icing on the cake with the final touch of the game, but he dragged his shot just wide of the post. It mattered little, however, as Billericay comfortably progressed into Round Four.
Brentwood Town: Prall; Saunders (Canlier 80), Henshaw, Gibbs, Freeman; Read (Edwards 59), Robinson; Vaivada (Trotman 54), Mardell, Linton (Sach 65); Zuhdu
Subs not used: Giddens
Billericay Town: Grossart; Wind (Appiah 79), Lomas, Parsons, Porter; Odelusi, Martin Sorondo; Long, Ruff (Watts 72), Benton (Valentine 66); Merrifield (Bonne 84)
Subs not used: Clark
Referee: Tommy Flemming
