MATCH REPORT - Bishop's Stortford - 25/10/25

Billericay Town 0–5 Bishop’s Stortford (Phillips 39, Dasilva 45+2, 57 pen, Melvin-Lambert 62, 73)

Billericay Town suffered a heavy defeat at New Lodge as Bishop’s Stortford struck five times to cruise into the second round of the FA Trophy.

A brace apiece from Cole Dasilva and Nahum Melvin-Lambert, along with an opener from Declan Phillips, saw Steve Castle’s side record a resounding 5-0 victory on a disappointing afternoon for the hosts.

Billericay began brightly and created the first clear opening inside six minutes when captain Matt Johnson met a left-wing cross but headed narrowly over from close range. The visitors responded almost immediately through Dasilva, who slipped Melvin-Lambert through on goal, only for the forward to be denied by a covering challenge before Jack Smith’s follow-up effort was gathered by Sam Donkin.

Stortford began to take control of proceedings, and Dasilva went close twice in quick succession, first curling wide from the edge of the box before forcing Donkin into a smart stop from distance on 24 minutes. At the other end, Liam Nash cut in from the left and tested Adam Heyton, while Jack Evans’ low drive from a corner was blocked on the line by Smith as the hosts pushed for the opener.

Instead, it was the visitors who struck first six minutes before the break. Obi Onyeagwara’s deflected strike was pushed out by Donkin, but Phillips reacted quickest to scramble home his first goal for the club. The visitors doubled their advantage in first-half stoppage time when Onyeagwara’s cross from the left found Dasilva arriving at the far post to poke past Donkin from close range.

Trailing 2-0 at the interval, Danny Scopes made two changes, introducing Tyrese Owen and Elliot Long in search of a response. The hosts began the second half on the front foot, with Owen seeing a low effort held by Heyton, but their task became steeper on 56 minutes when Owen brought down Onyeagwara inside the box. Dasilva stepped up to convert the resulting penalty, firing down the middle to make it 3-0.

Stortford were in full control and added a fourth just after the hour. Fabio Virciglio won possession in midfield and found substitute Saleem Akanbi on the left, who squared for Melvin-Lambert to finish from close range. The striker then grabbed his second and Stortford’s fifth on 73 minutes, finishing calmly into the bottom corner after being teed up by Akanbi once more.

Ricay finished the stronger, with substitutes Teddy Collis and Long both forcing saves from Heyton in the closing stages, but the visitors’ goalkeeper stood firm to preserve his clean sheet and round off a dominant display.

The defeat brings an early end to Billericay’s FA Trophy campaign, while Stortford progress comfortably into Monday’s second-round draw.

Billericay Town: Donkin; Barnum-Bobb, Scott, Johnson, Porter; Semakula (Cerulli 62), Miller-Rodney (Owen 45), Evans; Nash (Collis 73), Hockey, Oudnie-Morgan (Long 45)

Subs not used: Merrifield

Bishop’s Stortford: Heyton; Lethbridge, Thompson, Johnson, Davies; Dasilva (St Louis 66), Phillips (Forde 69), Smith; Onyeagwara (Akanbi 58), Melvin-Lambert, Virciglio (Akinbulumo 80)

Subs not used: Haines

Referee: Michael Butcher

Attendance: 726

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