Bostick Premier leaders Billericay Town held off a strong challenge from Vanarama North side Harrogate Town to progress into the Last Eight of the Buildbase FA Trophy after victory at New Lodge in their Third Round Proper replay.
The sides had played out a 2-2 draw in North Yorkshire at the weekend it what was a pretty decent affair, so this one had the making’s of a equally entertaining affair.
It was the visitors though who began the better and on eight minutes saw a ball into the area headed wide, before two minutes later a defensive error allowed the visitors into a decent attacking position, and saw the ball squared to Dominic Knowles but his effort was deflected wide.
The resultant corner was almost converted by the Yorkshire side, but saw the ball fizz away from goal, and then moments after Billericay keeper Alan Julian had to get down smartly to save another Harrogate effort, it had been all visitors so far in this contest.
However on the quarter hour mark the hosts came oh so close to taking the lead when a looping header was cleared away from goal before the loose ball was smashed at goal by Rob Swaine but was somehow blocked on the goal line by a defender, who then cleared the danger.
But just as the half was reaching it’s midway point the hosts did strike when a flick on saw the rapid Ricky Modeste run onto the ball and from the edge of the box thundered a wonderful effort beyond keeper James Belshaw and into the net for a brilliant goal, and the Blues had the lead.
The visitors almost responded instantly though when a free kick swung into the box was headed onto the bar by the home side, and just before the half hour the Blues almost found an opening when after Modeste had put a defender under pressure, he pinched the ball off him but as he went into the box, keeper Belshaw came to smother any danger.
There was nothing Belshaw could do with the next effort from the Blues though as in the 33rd minute the hosts doubled their lead when after the ball was played to Jake Robinson, the striker cut inside his man before producing an expert finish past Belshaw and in off the inside of the post, and the Blues now had a two goal cushion.
The two goal lead lasted only five minutes though as seven minutes before the break Harrogate pulled one back when after a foul inside the area, skipper Simon Ainge stepped up to dispatch the spot kick and the visitors were right back in the tie.
Harrogate continued to threaten, seeing George Thomson work some space for himself but then saw his effort go straight at Julian, before Thomson then curled an effort just over the corner of bar and post as the visitors threatened a leveller before the break.
Billericay then won a free kick with a minute of the half remaining in a good position, however Jamie O’Hara curled the set play over the stand behind the goal, but the hosts came close to netting a third before half time when a corner headed back into the six yard box found Robinson whose effort from point black range was somehow blocked on the line.
It all meant that the Blues held a one goal advantage at the break and it was very much all to play for still in this contest.
Half Time Billericay Town 2 Harrogate Town 1
Two minutes into the second period saw visitors skipper Ainge loop a header at goal, but keeper Julian managed to grab the effort, and then eight minutes into the half the Blues increased their lead when after Harrogate failed to clear their lines, Adam Cunnington saw his powerful effort too hot for Belshaw to handle and the ball found its way into the corner of the net.
And just before the hour mark the hosts burst down the right through Robinson and his ball across to Cunnington took a horrid bounce of the surface and wrong footed the latter who ended up missing the ball as a result.
As the game reached the midway point of the half the visitors were now enjoying a good spell of possession, and saw a decent cross fly across the box but away from danger, whilst the hosts attacked and saw Modeste send an effort at goal but this was easily saved by Belshaw.
But with just under twenty minutes remaining the Blues saw Calum Butcher sent off for a second yellow card after he had fouled Josh Falkingham, meaning the Blues would play the final quarter with a man less.
The final quarter saw Harrogate pretty much dominate as they looked for a way back into this tie, and in the 76th minute saw a terrific cross find substitute Jordan Thewlis but he could not divert the ball on target, and then four minutes later Thewlis thought he was in for the away side, but Joe Kizzi managed to produce a superb tackle to deny him.
Moments later Julian had to be alert to produce a decent stop to keep out the visitors again, as they were really starting to pile on the pressure now.
The visitors had brought on the giant Mark Beck to try and force a way back into the game and with two minutes remaining of the ninety, after keeper Julian had parried a cross over his own bar, Beck glanced home the resultant corner and it was now very much game on with five minutes of stoppage time to come.
It was all hands to the pump for the Blues as Harrogate continued to put a serious amount of pressure on the hosts, and Thomson burst into the box, went down, but saw the referee book the attacker for simulation, as the Blues survived again.
Deep deep into added on time a cross from the visitors was blocked by a defender although Harrogate appealed in vain for handball and another penalty shout, and from the corner a mad scramble ensued before the ball ended up in the grateful Julian’s grasp, and the Blues had survived another hair raising moment.
Soon after the referee brought proceedings to a close and it was Billericay Town who progress through to take on Vanarama South Wealdstone in the Quarter Finals of the competition.
Full Time Billericay Town 3 Harrogate Town 2
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