Watts occurring!

It all came down to this. Billericay Town hosted Brentwood Town hoping to return to National League South after four seasons with us, whilst Brentwood Town, having already achieved the highest League finish in their history, hoped to make it two promotions in a row.

Both sides knew only too well what end of season heartache felt like. Last season, as Brentwood were taking the Pitching In Isthmian North title, Billericay were missing out on the Premier crown on goals scored before experiencing Play Off misery. Brentwood, of course, had recent memory of Play Off misery, losing in Finals in 23-24 and 21-22, both times courtesy of a penalty shootout. One thing guaranteed today was more heartache for someone, and both sets of Blues were determined that they wouldn’t be the ones suffering.

Billericay were not only the Premier Division’s form team, they were the League’s form team. Twelve unbeaten matches, eleven wins- and in the midst of that an Essex Senior Cup triumph- the closing stages of the season couldn’t have been any more positive for our hosts. Brentwood, however, were five unbeaten, winning four, and indeed had taken more points from their last ten matches than anyone in our top flight except their opponents. They’d also won five out of their previous six on their travels, so wouldn’t be afraid to be away from home- as they showed when walloping Aveley in Wednesday’s Play Off Semi-Final (although it must be said that the final score flattered them somewhat).

The meetings between the sides this season had both been home wins. Billericay triumphed one-nil in mid January, whilst Brentwood won three-nil on their own patch in September. Perhaps that gave the hosts an edge? If it did, it was a very slight advantage- and, of course, our last four Finals had been won by the away side; five if you add in the travesty of the Super Play Off Final won by Tonbridge Angels at Met Police in May 2019 and discount the fact that they won their home Play Off Final a few days beforehand, a result which wouldn’t have mattered at all if they had lost at Imber Court. 

Today’s hosts started the season as our title favourites, but took quite some time to get going. Perhaps they were struggling to recover from their disappointment, but it was January before they really clicked. They ended 2025 in eleventh place, at that point a full nineteen points behind Brentwood, who were then in second. Brentwood, in contrast, started the campaign as if they were jet powered, and indeed led the way until early November when Folkestone Invicta overtook them at the summit. 

There was a steady stream of supporters leaving Billericay station at a quarter to one en route to the ground, and the talk amongst a large group of them was the ongoing National League South Play Offs, particularly the chances of Hornchurch. The Urchins won their Semi-Final against Weston on Saturday, and have a Final next weekend, Torquay United travelling to Bridge Avenue for the right to play in the non-league top flight next season. With Hornchurch finishing second, Worthing winning the title and Dorking Wanderers ending the campaign in fourth it was rather heartening to see three recent Isthmian sides making up three of the top four, and it spoke volumes about the quality of our top flight. Hopefully it would also be a confidence boost for whoever triumphed today; the gulf is not at all insurmountable. 

Congrats, by the way, to the Rebels and the Urchins. Wouldn’t it be marvellous if they were both in the National League next season?

The visiting fans today, as always, had travelled in numbers. By twenty five minutes before kick off they’d started a party; the drum was hammering out a beat, orange balloons were being waved in the air (orange is the colour of Brentwood’s away kit), and they were jumping up and down as if to demonstrate that none of them had bad knees or a bad back, the whippersnappers. 

The other end was rammed to the rafters, albeit- at this point- rather less energetic. It seemed as if the fine folk of Essex had all given up their Bank Holiday to watch football, and it was delightful. We just needed to hope that the actual football would match the atmosphere. 

The hosts got us underway, kicking towards the Brentwood fans. The first couple of minutes saw the ball barely touch the ground, and on three minutes the visitors had the games first corner, forcing keeper James Holden into action. 

We then moved to the other end, and a spell of intense Billericay pressure saw them do everything but score, Charlie Ruff coming particularly close after Aiden Prall was unable to deal with a cross. The home fans roared their team on, the away fans roared back, and the Blues remained on top- the Brentwood backline holding firm, if creaking a little. 

On fourteen minutes we had our first booking, and it seemed as if Danny Ogunleye talked his way into the book rather than the decision being made for the foul he’d just committed. It was to be hoped he wouldn’t have cause to regret that later.

It was then the turn of Brentwood to apply some pressure, and Kymani Thomas should have done better with a shot from the edge of the box, his effort clearing the bar by some distance. 

The opening goal arrived on twenty minutes, and it was somewhat unfortunate. The cross from the right was fabulous from Elliot Long, the header forceful; but sadly for the visitors the force came from the head of a defender and the ball went the wrong way. Keeper Prall had no chance, and the hosts were ahead. Billericay gave it to Long, the local radio station did the same, and we’re sure the defender would rather it was recorded that way so we’ve omitted his name, but his touch was crucial; the ball wasn’t going in without it. 

Goal: Billericay Town 1 Brentwood Town 0, own goal, twenty minutes

“One-nil, and you still don’t sing,” trilled the away fans as their side tried to get back into the game. It was nearly two five minutes later, as Jon Benton's effort went just wide of the post, and then at the other end Thomas found Holden diving to claim his effort. 

To be fair to the home fans, they were indeed singing, but their volume didn’t match that of their visitors. They needed to work on their jumping up and down game, too. 

Brentwood began to dominate possession, and they got their reward on thirty six minutes. Bradley Sach worked his way into the box and despite pressure was able to play a dangerous ball towards the back post, and it was just a question of who got on the end of it. That player was Thomas, and it was one-one. On the balance of play, the equaliser was deserved, and it provoked another bout of bouncing in the away end.

Goal: Billericay Town 1 Brentwood Town 1 Kymani Thomas 36 minutes

It was then Billericay’s turn to apply pressure. On forty one minutes a quick corner saw the ball find Jack Evans at the back post, but his volley could only find the side netting. Two minutes later a free kick at the corner of the box was sent in by Evans and headed out for a corner, but the ball was soon cleared to the opposite end and that was that for the half.

Half time: Billericay Town 1 Brentwood Town 1

The sides were kicking towards their own fans in the second half, and the home fans were soon shouting for a penalty- but Ruff was booked for a dive. There did seem to be some contact, but the referee obviously thought it wasn’t enough. Almost immediately Brentwood had a chance of their own, but Ogunleye could only head wide. Another effort from the visitors then ended up on the top of the net, as both sides started energetically. 

On fifty five minutes a foul on Ethan Kaiser saw Frankie Merrifield go into the book, and necessitated a long period of treatment for the Brentwood defender, who hobbled his way to the sidelines. The physio gave a thumbs up, but there was clearly some remaining discomfort. Only time would tell whether he could run it off.

We reached the hour mark with the visitors well on top, Ogunleye particularly giving the home defence a torrid time. That was the cue for the hosts to make the first change of the game, Ruff replaced by Macauley Bonne- and his first touch was immediate, as he got onto the end of a free kick into the box before it was hooked clear. There followed a spell of Billericay pressure, and Long just failed to get on the end of a pass- had he reached it a goal looked certain. The hosts were in the ascendancy as we entered the last twenty minutes, and it was time for the visitors to make a change, Sach off for Jesse Olukolu. Ade Cole and Max Hudson joined the fray soon afterwards as the side in orange tried to wrest back some control.

With twelve minutes remaining a foul on Ogunleye gave the visitors the chance to put the ball into the box. Cole whipped it in, and forced a fine reaction save from Holden, who punched it clear- albeit from around the height of his knees. At the other end Callum Watts dragged a shot wide, and we had ten minutes to avoid extra time.

The attendance was announced as three thousand two hundred, and Alfie Cerulli entered the arena for Benton. He was immediately involved as Billericay forced a save from Prall, and the keeper was called into action again a minute later, saving Bonne’s header. The pressure from the home side intensified, and the defending became rather desperate, but then it was the visitors turn to attack as we reached the last minute. And then…we had eight minutes more. 

As we reached the sixth minute of added time Long had a chance for the hosts, but could only fire over. Then with thirty seconds remaining, Brentwood earned a corner. Could they? They tried, but Hudson’s shot was smartly saved and that was that. Extra time ahoy.

Full time: Billericay 1 Brentwood Town 1- extra time next.

Both sides had done their best to score. Now they had thirty more minutes, and we prayed that someone would manage it, to avoid a shootout. 

A minute in, and the home fans and Merrifield were incensed that the latter wasn’t awarded a penalty, but the referee didn’t deem the challenge worthy of a second look. The Billericay number ten was still complaining four minutes later.

On ninety eight minutes an effort from Long forced a save from Prall, and them immediately a long run from Ryan Scott was stopped illegally by Watts,  a yellow card the result. Edwards headed wide for the visitors when perhaps he should have done better, and it was Billericay’s turn to press again. Nobody looked like they wanted to settle for a shootout.

A cross from Bonne was almost turned in by Merrifield, and that was the last significant action of the first extra period.

Immediately after the restart the hosts had a chance, Cerulli only able to head wide, and then a Long shot also went past the wrong side of the post.

Finally, on one hundred and eighteen minutes, pandemonium broke out. A corner was cleared to Watts on the edge of the box, and it looked as if his chance had gone,. But somehow he was able to poke it through a crowd of players into the bottom corner.

Goal: Billericay Town 2 Brentwood Town 1, Callum Watts, 116 minutes

“We are going up,” was more of a yell than a song at this point. The visitors tried to pour forward, the hosts tried to get the ball into the corner, and all was frantic, but time ticked away and the hosts were holding on. One final attempt for Brentwood, the ball fired goalward, Holden holding, and the whistle- a signal for seemingly half the crowd to pour onto the pitch.

Billericay were promoted!

Final score: Billericay Town 2 Brentwood Town 1

You had to feel sorry for the visitors. Every Final they’ve reached in recent years has seen them play a full part, and every one saw them strive for victory only to lose valiantly at the death. At least this one didn’t go to penalties, but the pain will be little different.

Billericay? The Blues finally have what they came so close to achieving last season- promotion back to Step Two. Thirteen matches unbeaten, and the first Premier hosts to win a Play Off Final in years- they’ve gone up in style. 

Congratulations to all at New Lodge. And, in the best possible way, don’t hurry back!