Billericay Town 8–3 Tonbridge Angels

(Robinson 11’, Bricknell 29’, 40’, 44’, Cunnington 47’, 60’, Lawrence 55’, Krasniqi 86’: McCollin 4’, 90’ Konchesky OG 51’)

From Colston Avenue

Ryman League Cup final

BILLY Bricknell scored a 16 minute hat-trick as Billericay Town came from behind to win an extraordinary Ryman League Cup final 8-3 against Tonbridge Angels.

The game was played at a breakneck speed, and despite the amount of goals, it was the amount of missed chances that was equally astonishing.

Adam Cunnington scores twice, with Jake Robinson, Byron Lawrence and Kreshnic Krasniqi also on the scoresheet as Town won the competition for the first time in their history.

Town started at a blistering pace and should have been 2-0 up inside three minutes.

Firstly, Cunnington blasted wildly over after the ball dropped fortuitously inside the six-yard box with only two minutes on the clock.

Then Robinson was fed through but the striker could only shoot straight at goalkeeper Jonathan Henly when he would have expected to score.

Angels were rattled but, unbelievably, they were ahead inside four minutes.

Jack Giddens, playing his first match under Glenn Tamplin’s management could only parry a shot into the centre of the box and Andre McCollin was left with the easiest of tap-ins.

Town needed an immediate response and that was what they got. Seven minutes after going behind, they were level.

Robinson, Billericay’s brightest player of the opening exchanges, picked up the ball on the right and ran at his man. Cutting inside, the striker moved the ball back onto his right foot and drove the ball inside the far post.

A lull followed such a barnstorming opening, with Danny Fitzsimons impressing alongside Joe Ellul at the back, with captain Rob Swaine ruled out through injury.

The next chance took until 28 minutes to arrive. With Cunnington and Robinson having already missed guilt-edged chances, Bricknell added his name to the list.

Running onto an Ellul long ball, the usually clinical forward fired wide under pressure.

But he was to make amends shortly afterwards. Bricknell collected the ball 25 yards from goal and powered home a fierce drive that was too hot for Henly to handle.

Bricknell and Robinson missed further guilt-edged chances but Bricknell still added a second before the interval.

A Tambeson Eyong cut-back was neatly dummied by Robinson and Bricknell thrashed the ball beyond Henly.

And he completed his hat-trick shortly before half-time with a deflected effort off the near post, following neat work from strike partner Robinson.

The two were developing a clear understanding, with Bricknell almost returning the favour moments into the second-half, but his cross was just too high for Robinson.

But Town only had to wait another 60 seconds to add to their tally.

A Matt Johnson centre was deflected into the path of Cunnington and he slid in to power home the loose ball.

But Angels appeared to be given a lifeline after a quite bizarre own goal from one of Town’s senior statesman.

A cross at the far post looked to be of no danger but Paul Konchesky, looking to clear the danger, miscued and sent the ball past Giddens, who had been a bystander since the opening goal.

But only four minutes had elapsed before Town restored their four-goal advantage.

Excellent wing play from Robinson resulted in his cross reaching the far post, where an onrushing Lawrence was on hand to drill home.

The creative Robinson was denied a second by Henly’s legs but he was helpless as Town made it seven with 30 minutes to play.

A long throw wasn’t cleared and Cunnington took aim and smashed high into the far corner from 15 yards.

And astonishingly that was how it stayed until three minutes from time when substitute Chris Assombalonga saw his curling effort superbly stopped only for Krasniqi to tap home the loose ball.

McCollin scrambled home a late third for Tonbridge after a long range strike had hit the crossbar, but Town were home and dry long before that.

Billericay Town: Giddens, Eyong, Lawrence (Taaffe 87’), Konchesky, Fitzsimons, Ellul (Krasniqi 60’), O’Hara, Johnson, Bricknell, Cunnington, Robinson (Assombalonga 66’)