A Red end to a grey day

If it’s a Wednesday there must be a Cup Final, and accordingly we were at the Dripping Pan, home of Lewes FC, for our second showpiece event of the season- the Reposs Isthmian Women’s Cup Final between Billericay Town and Charlton Athletic Under 21’s.

The Dripping Pan was living up to its name. Torrential rain arrived, departed and returned every few minutes in the hour prior to kick off. Players from both sides went to look at the pitch, scurried back in, went back out again- it was like a Lewes hokey-cokey. The wind was blowing at- according to local weather forecasters- “up to fifty miles an hour,” and whilst we didn’t need Michael Fish to tell us that it wasn’t quite a hurricane, it certainly wasn’t the conditions you hoped to have for a cup final. Luckily, as seven thirty approached the rain departed and the wind died down a little, but we were advised that it would pick up again later in the match, and hoped that the football gods would delay its return to allow the the players to perform at their best.

Certainly from what we’d seen of these sides already, their best was most definitely worth watching. It would be entirely accurate to say that the two competition favourites were in the Final. Athletic’s Under 21 Women’s side had already defeated Herne Bay twelve-one, Sevenoaks Town eight-nil, and, in the Semi-Final, Ashford United six-nil. The Blues had been almost as prolific, entering a round later than the Addicks and defeating London Seaward seven-nil before triumphing over Enfield Town in the Semi-Final, five-one.

Athletic have had rather a lot of relatively recent success in this particular competition. They reached the Semi-Final stage in 2018-19, which was the last time the competition was completed, and were finalists in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 but only won the first of those. Billericay, in contrast, had reached the Semi-Final stage when covid put paid to the competition the last time it was played, but that was the first time they had entered since 2015-16, when they left the competition at the first hurdle after an eleven-four defeat by…Charlton Athletic. We suspected that today’s Billericay side would put up a much stronger showing, however- these days they are a mid table side in the FA Women’s Southern Premier Division, alongside Crawley Wasps, who had recently merged with our very own Haywards Heath Town.

Any representatives of Athletic’s senior women’s side would be rather familiar with the Dripping Pan, as they share the FA Women’s Championship with the Rooks- and indeed had lost twice on this ground this season. They were hoping for better this time around.

After both teams were presented to two ambassadors from the excellent Her Game Too, they then attempted to break the world record for longest pre-match huddle, only ended by the referee. Billericay got us underway three minutes late, kicking towards the Rook Inn. The Blues had the first chance three minutes later, Jess King delivering a cross which surprised both the Charlton defence and Town forward Georgie Morton, who- understandably- didn’t expect the ball to reach her and wasn’t able to ready herself for the opportunity. The shot was easily held by Rochelle Romer in the Addicks goal.

Billericay dominated the opening stages, without really troubling Romer- one excellent free kick apart, a punch required to clear the danger. At the other end, the first Charlton chance was fashioned by Courtney Cook, her cross just needing a touch at the far post. It didn’t get one, and we remained goalless.

Athletic then decided that they’d had enough of being second best, and came closest to breaking the deadlock as we approached the quarter hour. Mary Bashford found herself with space nearly twenty five yards out, fired goalwards, and only a combination of keeper Alex Baker and the post kept her out. A moment later and a repeat from a little closer to the goal, a Taylor Bell thunderbolt bringing exactly the same outcome. Baker was soon called into action again, tipping over an effort from Tegan Attree as we approached the half way mark of the first half. The monsoon returned, but it didn’t stop the red wave crashing against the blue defence, the pattern of the game changing entirely.

Billericay calmed things down, and chances were at a premium, but there was much to admire about the play. Down the left, the tussle between Jess King for the Blues and Addicks full back Angela Nelson-Iye was continually entertaining, no quarter given and a great deal of attacking and defensive flair on show. In the middle, Charlton number eight Ornela Brahaj worked the space between the boxes superbly. For both sides, the commitment to passing the ball out from the back was apparent and admirable. But there were no more clear cut attempts until three minutes before the break, when the Blues were awarded a free kick just outside the box. Three players stood over it, King took it- there was never any doubt who was in charge despite the dummies- and the shot took a wicked deflection and entirely wrong-footed Romer, who had no chance. The Blues were ahead, and Charlton could count themselves a little unlucky. As we approached the break King brought a save from Romer and then fired the rebound wide, so it could have been even worse for the Addicks. The whistle blew, Billericay a goal to the good.

Athletic got us underway, the rain in their faces, the strains of Little Mix still playing loudly in their ears. But who had the Power? We were about to find out!

Taylor Bell created the first chance of the second half for herself, a strong run through the middle ending with a shot which was held by Baker. At the other end, a chance for King saw Romer save with her feet, as Billericay tried to increase their lead. But the equaliser arrived almost immediately, and it went to Jessie Gayle, a fabulous finish across the keeper into the bottom corner. One-one, and a call from the stands; “Jessie, you’re my hero!” The object of the heroism seemed to find it all rather amusing. We had forty minutes left.

As we approached the hour, a chance. A 50-50 ball left Gayle and keeper Baker on a collision course, and collide they did, the keeper coming off worse. A long stoppage followed, and a yellow card for Gayle and Billericay’s Scarlett Williams, perhaps for the aftermath rather than the actual clash. The Billericay keeper needed lengthy treatment- indeed, almost eight minutes went by whilst she lay prone on the sodden turf- and sadly she was unable to continue. Millie D’Ath was called into service as her replacement, and was called into action almost immediately, saving from Gayle. Another shot from Bell had the stand on its feet- until the realised the ball was on the roof of the net rather than in it. With twenty minutes- plus a significant amount of added time- to go, the traffic was almost all one way, and another shot from Bashford brought a fine save from D’Ath, before Cook fired just wide.

We moved into the last five minutes, and penalties began to look more and more likely. Charlton had most of the play, with the occasional dangerous foray from the Blues. Nelson-Iye for the Addicks was increasingly playing further forward and supplementing their attacks, the most cultured player on a field that had no shortage of culture at both ends, but the chances just weren’t coming. And then, suddenly, on the ninety minute mark, a goal from nowhere. A Billericay corner, the ball swung in, and somehow it was in the net, Morgan Rogers taking the plaudits. The Blues had been on the back foot for much of the half, but they were two-one up. Could they hold on?

They could nearly do better, a mazy run from Rogers ending with a shot just over. We had ten added minutes, and we’d played two of them. Charlton looked shaken, as well they might.

The Addicks needed to apply some pressure, but `Billericay were well in control as we approached the end of added time. Ninety eight minutes played, then ninety nine, and the Blues were encamped in the opposition half. Bell decided to break out, charged forward, and was fouled thirty five yards from goal. The ten minutes were up. Surely Bashford wasn’t going to shoot? She was. The ball sailed forward, clipped the underside of the bar, and nestled in the net. Pandemonium broke loose! Somehow, it was two-two!

We’d played thirteen added minutes when the final whistle went. And a match that deserved a winner within ninety minutes was heading for a shootout lottery. The fans left the stand in a stream for the covered terrace, wanting a closer view of what was to come.

Billericay were up first. One-nil, Romer sent the wrong way. One-one, D’Ath going the right way but unable to stop it. Two-one, two-two, all penalties expertly taken. Three-two Billericay, the corner of the net found once more. Three-three, D’Ath coming close but just unable to reach it. Four-three to the Blues, another cool head. Four-four. Might we be here all night?

And finally, a save. Romer dived to her left, and Charlton had the chance to win the match. Honor Norton stepped up, and made no mistake. Charlton had won the cup, after being seemingly down and out as we entered added time.

It was a victory which, on the balance of play, was deserved. But you had to feel sorry for Billericay, who looked to have had the game won, only to lose it in the cruelest of ways.

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