MATCH REPORT - Burgess Hill Town - 10/01/26

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, and George Vorster’s cross picked out the unmarked Fiddes who headed past Jacob Adams to give Burgess Hill the lead.

The goal lifted the home side and they went close to doubling their advantage, Reggie Ward first firing straight at Adams before striking the inside of the post from a low cross just before the half hour.

However, Billericay steadied themselves and finished the half strongly. After Blues captain Ryan Scott made a crucial block to deny Fiddes, Ruff fired narrowly wide as Ricay pushed for an equaliser. That pressure told two minutes before the interval when Callum Watts was fouled in the box and Cerulli calmly sent Rees the wrong way from the spot to level matters at the break.

Buoyed by the late first half goal, Billericay started the second period brightly. Cerulli flashed an effort across goal before Rees was forced into action again, tipping over Elliot Long’s strike from range. Although Ricay were on top, Burgess Hill nearly retook the lead on the hour when Vorster picked out Ben Pope, but the Hillians #10 headed over with the goal at his mercy.

That proved to be the hosts’ last meaningful chance, as Billericay took control in the final stages. Substitute Tyrese Owen fired over with a fierce volley, before Benton tested Rees as the pressure mounted from the away side. The decisive moment arrived with 16 minutes remaining, with Cerulli latching onto a through ball and cutting inside to expertly pick out the bottom corner and spark celebrations among the travelling support.

The Hillians pushed for an equaliser late on, but the visitors remained largely untroubled and almost added a third when Long’s goalbound effort inadvertently striking teammate Frankie Merrifield on its way through to goal. Deep into stoppage time, Glen Rea headed over from a final Burgess Hill opportunity, confirming a deserved away victory for Scopes’ side.

The result ends Billericay’s run of successive defeats, while Burgess Hill remain seventh and will look to build on an otherwise impressive return to the division.

Burgess Hill Town: Rees; Morrison, Spinks, Rea, Ward; Lawson, Rowe; Vorster, Pope (Vukoje 70), Gambin (O’Neil 88); Fiddes

Subs not used: Price, Malins, Worrall

Billericay Town: Adams; Lewis-Burgess (Barnum-Bobb 78), Scott, Parsons, Porter; Miller-Rodney (Owen 60), Watts; Long, Ruff, Benton (Merrifield 83), Cerulli

Subs not used: Davis, Nash

Attendance: 814

Referee: David Spain

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