Report – Billericay T 2 – 5 Wealdstone
Billericay Town
QF2 - 5
Wealdstone
Despite the wearing the underdog tag going into this huge cup tie, Wealdstone completely upset the pre match odds and cruised into the FA Trophy semi-finals after a dramatic and crushing 5-2 victory over big-spending rivals Billericay Town at the AGP Arena on Saturday.
New signing Bradley Bubb scored a hat-trick on his debut, with Ricky Wellard again scoring in the FA Trophy and Matty Whichelow netting direct from a corner. Rob Swaine and Ricky Modeste scored for the hosts on a day when they were totally out-classed, out-foxed and out-planned by their opponents on a difficult playing surface with minimal grass coverage.
Stones boss Bobby Wilkinson made four changes to the side that lost to Gloucester City on Monday night, Dan Fitchett dropped to the bench and David Pratt, Ian Gayle and Iffy Allen missed out through being cup-tied, and in came Bubb, Whichelow, Glenn Wilson and Mustafa Tiryaki.
Although the hosts were in the division below – and top of it – they still oozed quality and pedigree throughout and they offered their first warning just three minutes in when Sam Deering bundled the ball into the net only for the linesman to rule the goal out after he adjudged Robbie Evans’ cross to have gone out of play.
On 12 minutes Wealdstone offered their first threat; Alan Julian parried Bubb’s long range effort into the path of Wellard but the midfielder smashed the rebound into the side-netting.
Eight minutes later the Stones led. Whichelow played a well-weighted long ball to Bubb, he slipped his marker Evans and slotted past the out-rushing Julian with consummate ease to send the hundreds of vociferous Wealdstone fans behind the goal into raptures.
However, the hosts response came soon after, Jonathan North got down well to deny Deering’s effort, but Jake Robinson reacted quickest to play the rebound back in to the unmarked Swaine at the far post who nodded past the Welsh keeper.
In an afternoon of end to end drama, Wealdstone replied immediately when Accrington Stanley loanee Reagan Ogle played a deep cross into Bubb, who brought the ball down brilliantly on his chest and then dinked it past Julian with the second touch.
Stones were back in front and carried this momentum through the remainder of the first half. Tiryaki brought down a long ball and played Wellard into the box, he beat Matt Paine before his effort caught Julian out at the near post, doubling the Stones margin and making it 3-1.
With the breathless action continuing, Whichelow then, almost unbelievably, added a fourth just five minutes later, scoring direct from a corner when the experienced Julian somehow completely missed his punch to clear.
However North made a pivotally crucial save up the other end just before half time. Robinson had initially beat the keeper but North somehow recovered to stop his effort trickling over the line.
Billericay boss Glenn Tamplin in his supposed final game as Blues Manager made a triple half time substitution with ex-Premier League star Jamie O’Hara introduced as one of the changes.
This didn’t faze Wealdstone though and Bubb completed his hat-trick just minutes into the second half. Okimo threw the ball to the ever dangerous Bubb and he was given the freedom of Essex to turn and then swerve an effort past Julian from the edge of the box.
The Blues then dominated the rest of the half as they searched for a scant consolation at the very minimum. But North was proving difficult to beat in the Wealdstone goal, thwarting Robinson at his feet after being put through on goal.
Sam Cox then made two clearances off the line in quick succession, but a minute later the hosts pulled one back when Ricky Modeste nodded Swaine’s deep cross past North.
North again pulled off more heroics denying substitutes O’Hara and Billy Bricknell, before denying Deering with another one on one in injury time, keeping the score line at a remarkable and memorable 5-2 and giving Wealdstone fans one of the greatest away results in recent history.
Wealdstone will find out their semi-final opponents on Monday when the draw is made on talkSPORT 2 at 13:00.
WEALDSTONE: North, Ogle, Okimo, Wilson, Oshodi, Cox, Whichelow, Wellard, Tiryaki (Fitchett 80), Green, Bubb (Goodger 88). Subs not used: Day, Otudeko, Artwell.
By Chris Woods
Steve Foster pictures HERE
Alan Palmer pictures HERE