MATCH REPORT - Welling United - 22/11/25

Billericay Town 6 (Long 36, Evans 49, 90+4, Merrifield 66, 85, Davis 80) - Welling United 1 (Majoyegbe 56)

Jack Evans produced one of the goals of the season as Billericay Town swept aside struggling Welling United with a dominant display on a wet afternoon at New Lodge.

Evans’ audacious long-range strike four minutes into the second half set the tone for a clinical Ricay performance, adding to Elliot Long’s first-half opener. And while Lekan Majoyegbe briefly halved the deficit for Ryan Maxwell’s side, the points were made safe thanks to a Frankie Merrifield brace and further goals from Tommy Davis and Evans.

The Blues began brightly and could have taken an early lead when Liam Nash fired over from close range inside five minutes. Nash then had a penalty shout waved away by referee Alfie Finch-Critchley, before first-half substitute Teddy Collis flashed a deflected shot just wide of the mark.

Collis was again involved before the half hour as the hosts started to dictate proceedings, seeing his shot pushed away by Dion Curtis-Henry in the Wings goal. The pressure paid off nine minutes before the break when Collis drove into the box and his cross eventually fell to Long, who slotted home from eight yards to give Danny Scopes’ side the lead.

The Blues continued to probe and Curtis-Henry was called into action to bat away Tyrell Miller-Rodney’s powerful strike. Welling had to wait until the 41st minute for their first meaningful moment of the game when Jack Paxman’s long-range effort was turned round the post by Sam Donkin.

Curtis-Henry had a busy end to the half and was needed in stoppage time to brilliantly deny Merrifield’s header, before Nash’s follow-up was blocked, meaning the Blues went into the break just a goal to the good despite their dominance.

Billericay didn’t have to wait long to double their lead in the second half, and did so in stunning fashion. After Scott Simmonds cheaply surrendered possession to Evans, the Ricay #8 took aim from all of 40 yards, catching Curtis-Henry off his line, and his speculative effort clipped the post before nestling in the net to send New Lodge into raptures.

It was almost 3-0 minutes later, but Long’s stooping header struck the base of the post. Instead, Welling found a lifeline as Majoyegbe looped an effort over Donkin and into the far corner with more than half an hour left to play.

The Welling joy was short-lived, however, as ten minutes later the Blues restored their two-goal cushion when Merrifield spun his marker and fired across goal, beating Curtis-Henry with sheer power. The visitors then wasted a golden chance to get back into the contest with 13 minutes remaining, but former Billericay striker Femi Akinwande couldn’t beat Donkin from point-blank range.

The hosts soon put the game beyond doubt as Nash’s in-swinging corner was met at the far post by Davis, who headed home Billericay’s fourth with ten minutes left. Merrifield then added his second five minutes later, smashing in via the underside of the bar after Curtis-Henry spilled Evans’ initial effort.

Collis struck the bar in stoppage time before Evans capped a superb individual performance with a powerful free kick into the top corner to complete the scoring and seal a magnificent afternoon for the Blues.

Billericay Town: Donkin; Lewis-Burgess, Davis (Parsons 81), Johnson, Porter; Miller-Rodney (Owen 77), Evans; Nash, Long, Cerulli (Collis 23); Merrifield (Williams 86)

Subs not used: Abraham

Welling United: Curtis-Henry; Simmonds (Williams-Bushell 52), Majoyegbe, Arthur, Currie (Walker 52); Ebuzoeme (Allen 74), Thomas, Paxman; Ufuah (Addy 84), Akinwande, Redfearn (Chima 52)

Subs not used: N/A

Referee: Alfie Finch-Critchley

Attendance: 877

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