Twelve months after Chatham Town won the Velocity Trophy in stoppage time against Hashtag United, Kevin Hake’s side lost their prize in equally heart-breaking fashion as Isthmian title chasing Billericay Town won a five-goal thriller to lift the Trophy at Aveley’s Parkside stadium. 

The first half was one easily to forget for those who had braved the Dartford Tunnel through rush-hour to attend as despite lots of early possession, it was Billericay who stormed into a two-goal lead through Ben Steward and Frankie Merrifield.

Whatever Hake’s message to his players at the break was from within the depths of Parkside as the manager was serving a touch-line ban – coach Tim Moffatt directed operations pitch-side – worked incredible wonders as within three minutes of the break, The Chats were level through Jamie Yila’s side foot after a magnificent run from John Ufuah down the left which left defenders in his wake, and Kareem Isiaka’s crashing shot into the roof of the net after Yila’s inspiring run. 

Suddenly the game had been turned on its head, and there seemed as though there was only to be one winner, but as the minutes ticked through the eighties, the Essex side started to come back into the game again and as the clock moved into stoppage time, a thumping Bradley Williams header from a corner meant the Cup would be staying north of the river and for a third time be heading for Billericay. 

The Chats started well without threatening the Billericay goal and the title chaser eased ahead as Steward steadied himself on the edge of the box before striking sweetly into the bottom corner beyond an unsighted Henry Molyneux. 

The Chats continued to probe – the impressive Harry Webster saw an angled drive go too high and after a great Yila run and ball into the near post, Freddie Sears was desperately unlucky not to steer the ball home as he arrived at the near post, whilst at the other end, a flying Molyneux punched the ball away from its target, the dangerous Femi Akinwande. 

The lead was doubled ten minutes from the break as Merrifield got on the end of Steward’s free-kick to score at the back-post. It started a spell where the holders almost self-destructed as Akinwande drilled an effort into the side netting and following a defensive misunderstanding, Steward’s forty-yard lob over a stranded Molyneux bounced wide of the gaping goal. 

Whatever was said in the Chats dressing room at the break – within ninety seconds of the restart they were back in the game as Ufuah’s brilliant run was met by Yila at the back post and then in their very next attack, Yila turned provider as Isiaka smashed home the equaliser sending the Chats fans behind the goal wild with delight whereas five minutes before there had been a sense of foreboding! 

They pressed on looking to retain the trophy – Jack Evans sent keeper Sam Donkin to his knees with a skidding drive, before sending in a free-kick that swung the wrong way across the face of goal.

But try as they might, the Chats couldn’t force a third. and the longer the game went on, the speed of Billericay’s break became more and more into play.

Molyneux showed good hands to save Elliott Long’s low drive; Simon Cooper made a goal saving challenge for the Chats to deny Akinwande, before the big striker crashed an effort off the outside of Molyneux’s goal. 

Just as extra-time loomed, the Cup was ripped from the Chats’ grasp in the cruellest way as Williams met a corner perfectly and despite a valiant effort on the line, the ball flew into the top corner and the Cup was “lost”. 

BILLERICAY TOWN – Donkin, Williams, Johnson, Davis, Porter, Paxman, Miller-Rooney, Long (Sherriff). Steward (Panton), Akinwande (Nzala), Merrifield 

Subs – McKenzie, Emmanuel 

CHATHAM TOWN – Molyneux, Webster (Jambang), Cooper, Butler, Aidoo, Robins (Liburd), Evans, Isiaka (Mongoy), Ufuah (Chambers), Sears 

Subs – Romer 

REFEREE – Mr. Crossley 

Picture supplied by Chatham Town.