Manager Craig Edwards made six changes from the side that faced Chatham Town last Saturday. Billy Bates who was signed earlier in the day came straight into the lineup. The boyhood Cheshunt fan & youth player who made appearances in West Ham’s FA Youth Cup win last season partnered Jimmy Wallace at the back. Vas Vasiliou, Dejon Noel-Williams, Joe Rose, and Nathaniel Orafu also came in from the start.
It was an electric start to the game as early pressure mounted from Cheshunt. They went 1-0 up after just three minutes. After winning the ball back in midfield, A through ball to Dejon Noel Williams gave a 2 on 1 advantage & Noel-Williams picked out number 9 Nnamdi Nwachuku who placed it through the legs of the onrushing keeper to give his side the lead.
Adam Leathers led a counterattack for Billericay before finding Bradley Stevenson, he forced a save from Joe Rose. Moses Emmanuel then found space just outside the box for a strike, but it was again saved comfortably. Despite those Billericay chances, the Cheshunt pressure didn’t go away. The hosts were getting corner after corner but were unable to take advantage of them.
Billericay started to put on the pressure again but Rose was equal to everything, getting down low to several shots and holding on, in dangerous conditions for goalkeepers. At the other end Dejon Noel-Williams went in on goal down the left after a quick counter, a similar position from where Nwachunku scored. However, Stefan Lamacq in the Billericay goal got his angles right & made the save.
The last action of the half saw Blues Moses Emmanuel play a pass to Bradley Stevenson on the edge of the box, who after some tidy footwork found space for a shot. However, Joe Rose held it and kept Cheshunt in the lead going into the break.
HT: 1-0
Sol Baugh replaced Dejon Noel-Williams at the break, which meant the goal scorer Nnamdi Nwachuku moved to a more central position. The first chance of the second half was from a quick freekick, Sam Granville smartly played it to Vas Vasiilou who managed to get a shot away, but it went wide. Seconds later the hosts went very close to scoring a wonder goal. After a good touch outside the box, Nathaniel Orafu struck one powerfully off the crossbar from the edge of the area. While on top The Ambers went close again as Vas Vasiliou found himself with just the keeper to beat but his shot was saved by Lamacq for the Blues.
Billericay’s first big chance of the second half fell to Moses Emmanuel. He was in space from a tight angle, but his shot could only go across the face of goal. Bradley Stevenson then tried an optimistic strike from outside the box, but it curled just past the far post.
The Blues made substitutions to increase their firepower & it took Alfie Cerulli just fifteen minutes to score after replacing Lewis Browne in attack. Billericay’s top scorer received the ball inside the box on the left before firing his side level with just over ten minutes to go.
Despite a massive number of changes in the second half (up to 5 substitutions can be made in a Velocity Cup match) and the game continuing to be end-to-end with chances at both ends, neither team were able to prevent the game from going to penalties.
The first nine takers all scored with Taylor Miles, Jamie Reynolds, Nnamdi Nwachuku and Sam Granville finding the next from 12 yards for Cheshunt. However, it would be Billericay’s Moses Emmanuel who scored the winning penalty as Sol Baugh’s spot kick, the fifth for Cheshunt was saved by Stefan Lamacq.
FT: 1-1 (5-4 to Billericay on Penalties)
Report Daniel Luker UCFB
Photos courtesy of Amy Eve Photography
https://amyevephotography.smugmug.com/Cheshunt-FC-vs-Billericay-Town–
