A lackluster Chelmsford City last night failed to overcome 10 man Billericay at Melbourne Park. It was a tightly contested affair with both sides not really creating many chances. City's first chance came from a corner kick which drifted past the far post but was then put back into the box by Captain Ben Chenerey for Fiston Manuella to head narrowly over whilst Billericay's Lee Hodges dragged a left-footer wide across the face of goal via a deflection. Towards the end of the half City enjoyed a spell of pressure, beginning with Jeff Minton's low arrow that careered wide from the edge of the box and Ricky Holmes worried the Town defence via a sweetly-struck right-footer which narrowly cleared the crossbar after a touch by 'keeper Billy McMahon.The best chance of the half came right on half time when the ball broke to right back Jay Conroy around forty yards from goal and he met it with a cracking drive which was destined for the top corner until McMahon achieved a slightest touch to guide it onto the bar and over.
The first action of the 2ND half was the the 2ND yellow card of the match for Billericay's Rikki Burbridge for clattering Ricky Holmes on the edge of the pitch so inevitably the red card followed and Billericay were reduced to 10 men to a series of cheers and chanting from the Claret Army.
City tried to make the extra man count but were left open at the back and had goalie Ashley Harrison to thank for keeping the scores level when he palmed a strike onto the bar and showed great reactions to get up and flaw the 2ND attempt when it looked like there was gonna be a tap in at the near post.
Around the middle of the half there were nervy moments at each end for both defences, Conroy sticking out a leg to divert the ball just past his own City post and Billericay's almost sliced a harmless cross into his own net but was cleared unknowingly by goalkeeper McMahon at his near post.
Jason Hallett then came on for Ibe as Chelmsford began to press-home their one-man superiority, firstly seeing a Lee Boylan cross find the head of the Hallet but he couldn't get enough on it to trouble McMahon. Ten minutes from time a Holmes centre then led to Boylan heading wide.
The goal finally came on the 82ND minute when Hallet was again in the action as Billy McMahon dropped a routine catch straight into the path of Jaime England who calmly slotted the ball home to spark frenzy in the terraces due mainly to relieve and excitement.
The 2,025 City fans were now talking about the final and wondering who would win in the other semi final tomorrow night when with 20 seconds of injury time left Chris Whelpdale (who had taken a lotof stick during the match for his extremely large noise) found himself unmarked to level the scores and Melbourne Park was stunned into silence.
Extra time was a dull affair with neither side really creating any chances so 42 games of hard work came down to the lottery of a shootout. It was Billericay who took the first penalty and it was buried into the bottom corner but Lee Boylan missed Chelmsford first penalty which proved to be the vital moment as Flack, Whelpdale (big nose) and Blewitt for Billericay and Knight, England and Minton all scored good penalties.
To be honest I don't think either side did enough to win the game and though it pains me to say it Billericay did play well with 10 men but I think Chelmsford could have upped the tempo and stretched them more but saying that we should have won the league easily if only we could win away from home. I hope Chelmsford can regroup and keep their players and if so we should go up next year and I will be cheering for the winners of The Bromley VS AFC Wimbledon in the final on Saturday!
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