Another off as Crusaders bow out

Billericay complete Trophy and Cup double

Hungerford Town 0 Billericay Town 2

CRUSADERS’ search for some home comforts continued as they bowed out of the FA Trophy to FA Cup conquerors Billericay.

A saved penalty at either end and a sending off may have made for fun for the neutrals, but it was another reverse for the home side, still stricken by injuries and with co-manager Ian Herring and defender Diak John suspended, and they will be joined by striker Alex Wall after his lunge at Billericay’s Joe Kizzi to leave his team-mates fending for themselves for 35 minutes.

Kizzi had given Hungerford the chance to take the lead after seven minutes when he bundled over Luke Hopper in the box but Hopper’s penalty gave goalkeeper Alan Julian a comparatively easy save.

Hungerford coped well before falling behind 10 minutes prior to the interval following a game of head tennis in the box before Jake Robinson nodded the ball over goalkeeper Luke Beauchamp.

Hopes of salvaging the tie were battered when Wall clumsily went in on Kizzi although were given second wind when substitute Owen Cummins took down Sanchez Watt, but Sam Deering’s penalty followed Hopper’s example and Marcus Beuchamp got down to save.

But thoughts of salvaging another midweek replay trip to Essex were ended when Louie Theophanous was given space to cut back a cross to the back podst where Watt was waiting to convert.

Hungerford Town: Beauchamp; Tyler, Rusby, Smith, Stonehouse (Bignall); Clark (Bailey), Whittingham, Rodgers, Soares; Wall, Hopper (Cummins), Subs: Knight, MacDonald.

Billericay Town: Julian, Urquhart, Evans, Kizzi, Inman, Deering, Wheeler (Modeste 46), Paine, Theophanous, Robinson (Pennant 74) Cunnington (Watt 60).