Ben Mapp’s Billericay Town FC Articles

Billericay Town 1 (Long 22) – Brentwood Town 0 Elliot Long’s 22nd minute strike proved decisive as Billericay Town edged past local rivals Brentwood Town in a tight but entertaining encounter at New Lodge. The away side threatened early and almost took the lead inside five minutes, but Matt Cripps could only glance his effort wide at the near post. Keon Lewis-Burgess responded with Billericay’s first attempt on ten minutes but couldn’t keep his shot down from the edge of the box. Chances were at a premium until Billericay broke the deadlock on 22 minutes. Some excellent work from Charlie Ruff saw him win back possession in the Brentwood half, before playing in Long who cut inside and found the net via the upright. Billericay were in the ascendency but were lucky not to be reduced to ten just past the half hour, as Tyrell Miller-Rodney’s illustrious challenge was not deemed worthy of a second yellow card by Deryll David despite vigorous appeals from the away side. Brentwood went closest...

BRENTWOOD TOWN Nickname: The Blues Manager: Keith Rowland Stadium: The Arena Capacity: 1,500 It’s derby day at New Lodge this afternoon as Brentwood Town make the short six-mile journey to New Lodge. Following promotion last season, our visitors have enjoyed a remarkable campaign so far, sitting second in the table and continuing to be one of the division’s surprise packages. Keith Rowland’s side have been among the league’s most consistent performers, winning 15 of their 25 league fixtures while suffering defeat on just six occasions. A run of three successive victories came to an end in their most recent outing, however, as they were beaten 4-1 at home by Cray Wanderers. Away from The Arena, Brentwood have been particularly strong. They have won seven of their 12 away league matches this season and boast the division’s best away goalscoring record, having netted 32 times on the road. Their last trip away ended in emphatic fashion three weeks ago, with a convincing 4-1 ...

Aveley 3 (Harris 18, Peters 60 pen, 70) - Billericay Town 0 Ollie Peters came back to haunt his former club with a second half brace as Aveley booked their place in the Essex Senior Cup final for the first time in 15 years with a convincing victory over Billericay Town. Peters’ double added to Chris Harris’ first half opener as the Millers eased past their Isthmian Premier League rivals at Parkside. Billericay saw more of the ball in the early stages but struggled to turn possession into meaningful chances. The Blues’ only effort of note in the opening exchanges came via Callum Watts, whose ambitious lob from 30 yards drifted comfortably wide of Rylee Mitchell’s goal. Aveley grew into the contest and took the lead on 18 minutes. Matt Johnson’s long throw was only partially cleared, and the former Ricay skipper delivered a pinpoint cross that picked out Harris, who made no mistake from six yards to continue his fine scoring record against Billericay this season. The hosts were now on to...

Burgess Hill Town 1 (Fiddes 14) – Billericay Town 2 (Cerulli 43 pen, 74) Alfie Cerulli’s brace was enough to see Billericay Town past a resilient Burgess Hill Town and secure a first league away win since August. Cerulli’s penalty late in the first half cancelled out Max Fiddes’ opener, before a composed second half finish earned all three points for Danny Scopes’ side and condemned the hosts to a fourth home defeat in five matches. The Blues arrived in Sussex on the back of consecutive defeats and almost made the perfect start inside the opening minute, as Cerulli burst into the box but dragged his effort wide with only Rocco Rees to beat. Billericay continued to look the sharper side early on and went close again on seven minutes, Charlie Ruff finding space on the edge of the area but seeing his effort well blocked behind. Despite the visitors’ positive start, it was the Hillians who struck first on 14 minutes. Jon Benton was dispossessed and the hosts broke quickly down the right, a...

Billericay Town 1 (Cerulli 53) – Hashtag United 2 (Cornhill 31, May-Parrott 61) Luke May-Parrott’s superb second-half curler proved decisive as Hashtag United secured Essex bragging rights with a hard-fought victory over Billericay Town on a freezing January afternoon at New Lodge. Despite an audacious overhead kick from Alfie Cerulli drawing the hosts level early in the second half, May-Parrott struck just after the hour to earn the Tags a vital three points in their battle to escape the drop zone. Billericay began on the front foot and nearly made the perfect start inside five minutes when Cerulli bent an effort narrowly wide of the post. Elliot Long then forced Jack Giddens into his first save of the afternoon, before the Hashtag goalkeeper produced a stunning reaction stop to deny Ollie Parsons from close range on 15 minutes. Although the Blues controlled much of the early play, Hashtag gradually grew into the contest. Nathan Wilson fired an effort over from the edge of the box on ...

HASHTAG UNITED Nickname: The Tags Manager: Jay Devereux Stadium: Parkside Capacity: 3,500 The Blues face their second Essex opponents in succession this afternoon as Hashtag United make the short trip to New Lodge for our first fixture of 2026. The Tags arrive in the bottom four after a disappointing first half of the campaign in what is their third season competing at Step 3. Hashtag have found consistency hard to come by this term, recording just five wins from their opening 22 league games, while already suffering 11 defeats. Despite being the only side to defeat league leaders Folkestone so far this season, Jay Devereux’s men have managed just two league victories since the end of September, a run that has seen them slip into the relegation zone. Last time out, the Tags faced landlords Aveley and played out a 2-2 draw despite leading twice. Away from Parkside, their struggles have been even more evident, as they are currently winless in seven league matches on the ro...

Canvey Island 1 (Newson 90+1) – Billericay Town 0 Calum Newson’s injury time header sparked jubilant scenes at the Steve Taxi’s Stadium as Canvey Island edged past Essex rivals Billericay Town in a scrappy contest. On a troublesome pitch where both sides struggled for sustained control, the Gulls weathered a first half Ricay storm before creating the clearer chances after the break and eventually finding a decisive moment as the clock ticked past 90 minutes. On a blustery winter afternoon, Canvey began with the wind in their favour and fashioned the first opening on four minutes, when Abdi Mohamud found space in the box but was denied from close range by Sam Donkin. Billericay responded ten minutes later, Jack Evans testing Jacob Marsden after the hosts failed to clear their lines, before the Canvey keeper was again called into action to block Liam Nash’s near point blank effort. Despite playing against the wind, the Blues looked the more likely to break the deadlock and Elliot Long wa...

Billericay Town 1 (Long 40) – Carshalton Athletic 0 Elliot Long’s third goal in two games was enough to see Billericay Town past a game Carshalton Athletic side and end a run of three league matches without a win. Long’s looping first half header came after a sustained spell of Ricay pressure, and the Blues held on despite the Robins creating several moments in the second half to record their first league clean sheet at New Lodge this season. The home side started on the front foot and had the first attempt of the game as Jack Evans stung the palms of Matt Kerbey from the edge of the box. Billericay continued to probe and went close again 12 minutes in, but Frankie Merrifield was unable to get a clean strike away after turning well inside the area. Kerbey was then required to make a superb save six minutes later after Long found Liam Nash in space in the box, with the Carshalton shot stopper equal to the Billericay forward’s powerful effort. The half was a scrappy affair and saw little...