Velocity Trophy First Round
BILLERICAY TOWN 5 BARKING 1
Phoenix FM’s JOHN CHUBB reporting from the AGP Arena
Holders Billericay Town secured their place in the 2nd round of the renamed Isthmian League Cup against a Barking side managed by the club’s former assistant manager Justin Gardner, who left to take over at Mayesbrook Park during the close season having played his part in the memorable 8-3 triumph over Tonbridge Angels in last season’s final.
Glenn Tamplin went into this tie without leading scorer Jake Robinson, who picked up a muscle injury during Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Tooting and Mitcham United. The Blues owner/manager brought back Rob Davies, Dan Walker and Matthew Paine, all of whom were returning from loan spells. Gardner’s Barking side included former Ricay players Abs Seymour, Gabby Adelowo and Goldy Capela in their squad.
Billericay soon made their mark on the game and took the lead after only 3 minutes, when Joe Ellul headed home. But after 8 minutes Barking equalised when Adelowo slotted the ball home from close range.
Ellul tried to get the home side back in front with 12 minutes gone with his header from Jermaine Pennant’s free kick, but this time his effort was saved by Barking goalkeeper Ollie Bowles. Ricky Tabard came close to a second for the visitors a couple of minutes later, but this time his effort went just wide of Alan Julian’s goal.
Billericay came close to regaining the lead in the 29th minute when striker Billy Bricknell’s close range effort was blocked by Bowles, then with 36 gone Thei Ola went close with a backheel as both sides continually fought hard. Then a minute before half time Ricay went back in front when Dan Walker slotted home from close range with his right foot, then Walker made it 3-1 a minute later, again with a right footed effort from inside the box.
Home boss Tamplin unusually used all three of his substitutions at the start of the second half. Not long after the restart Davies – returning to the Ricay line up after a loan spell at Concord Rangers – went close with a free kick which Bowles did well to stop from going in. Barking came agonisingly close to getting back in the game with 20 minutes left, as Sam Shabah had a shot stopped by Julian and former Billericay striker Goldy Capela’s follow up effort struck the post, before the action moved to the opposite end and Billy Bricknell went close for the home side. But Bricknell made no mistake 18 minutes from the end, when he struck past Bowles to make it 4-1 to Billericay.
Barking battled on, Gabriel Adelwo having a good long range effort stopped by Julian but then Bricknell got his brace 8 minutes from time, slotting the ball past Bowles to make it 5-1. Shabah and Capela both went close for Barking late on but the home side progressed to the second round with what in the end proved to be a comprehensive victory.
Billericay Town: Alan Julian, Eliot Kebbie (Danny Waldren 46), Paul Konchesky, Joe Ellul, Leo Chambers, Rob Davies, Dan Walker (Sam Deering 46), Matthew Paine, Billy Bricknell, Jermaine Pennant, Jeremy Lynch (Ricky Modeste 46),
Barking: Ollie Bowles, Ricky Tabard, Gabriel Adelwo, Steve Willis (Akwasi Marfo 84), Tiob Adeyemi, Ben O’Brian, Thei Ola, Dan Gilchrist (Alan Smalls 82), Sam Shabah, Kwabano Asaheah (Darius Izukanul 67), Goldy Capela.
After the match I spoke exclusively to Billericay assistant manager Harry Wheeler. Asked what he thought of the performance, he told me, “It improved. I didn’t think we started too well, we were very shaky and it was an even game…in he second half, when we put the subs on it made a difference and that was probably why we got the result”.
Wheeler was impressed with the contribution of the three players returning from loan spells elsewhere: “I thought they were probably three of our better players to be honest…Dan Walker was excellent, Matt Paine was solid…they’ve been away and come back looking fitter and sharper, they want to be in this team and they did themselves no harm tonight.”
Asked about the unusual move of making three substitutions at the start of the second half, Wheeler said “It was because we weren’t good enough in the first half….we wanted to catch them (Barking) out in the second half by making changes, and it worked.”
