Aveley 1–3 Billericay Town

Essex Senior Cup

From Mill Field

 

BILLERICAY Town marched into the final of the Essex Senior Cup with a 3-1 win at Thurrock rivals Aveley.

In a repeat of the 2011 final, it was Town who booked their final spot and a date with Concord Rangers after a brace from Ricky Sappleton.

The burly striker was a handful all night and his brace, followed by a Steve Sheehan header, was too much for Aveley who grabbed a consolation through Petrit Elbi.

Billericay had beaten Brightlingsea Regent on penalties to set up the tie, while Aveley had knocked out fierce rivals Thurrock.

The game started quickly with Town’s Affy Obafemi falling on the edge of the penalty area under pressure, but the referee was unmoved.

Aveley broke and had the first effort of the match – Danny Francis drilling at goal only to be denied by Town’s stand-in goalkeeper Marco Cancar, with first-choice Joe Wright cup-tied.

Back came Town and it was the speedy Obafemi who came close next. The striker burst past Junior Baker but he was matched by Millers stopper James Marrable who pushed away.

But it was Town who were making the early running, and they were the thickness of the post away from taking the lead when Ricky Sappleton touched past Paul Preston and shot off the upright.

The pressure was building and Aveley fell behind after 25 minutes, when Rowan Liburd linked well with Obafemi for the onrushing Sappleton to pick up the loose ball and slide home.

Aveley responded well to the blow and saw two golden chances come and go. Captain Billy Holland was the man denied on both occasions by the Town crossbar, with Cancar beaten.

Liburd saw a late chance blazed wildly over but a decisive first 10 minutes of the second period as good as ended the game.

Sappleton doubled his tally first of all, nodding in off the head of Millers defender Junior Baker to find the net, despite Sammy Knott’s desperate efforts to keep the ball out.

And minutes later it was 3-0. Another corner from Glenn Poole was met by centre-back Steve Sheehan and he headed beyond Marrable.

Obafemi missed a golden chance to make it 4-0 as Craig Edwards’ side looked to consolidate their advantage.

Justin Gardner’s side were struggling to make it into the away side’s half but they were growing into the game as Billericay sat back on their advantage and they pulled a goal back with 20 minutes to go.

A blocked effort was picked up on by Elbi and he slotted past the Town keeper to give the Millers hope.

Obafemi crashed an effort off the post after Spencer Harrison failed to clear a cross before the same man shot wide soon after.

But that was how it stayed and Town have a final date to look forward to next month, while Aveley turn their attentions to the Ryman One North.

 

Aveley: Marrable, Preston, Knott, Baker, Harrison, Deen, Ola(Allarakhia), Holland, Elbi, Stavrinou (Retkiceri), Francis (Armah-Tackie)

Billericay Town: Cancar, Williams, Melaugh, Edwards, Halle, Sheehan, Obafemi (Baker), Poole, Sappleton, Liburd (Farrell), Dunne