Billericay Town may only be sitting in 11th place in the Ryman League Premier Division, but there is currently no stopping them in knockout competitions.

On Tuesday night they went to former manager John Kendall's Chesham for a League Cup quarter-final and pulled off a hard-earned 2-0 success.

It was their third victory in different cups in the last 11 days and puts the club in great heart for Saturday week's FA Umbro Trophy home clash with arguably the top non-league side in the country, Nationwide Conference giants Rushden and Diamonds.

Chesham are currently third in the Premier, but were outgunned by Gary Calder's Billericay, who ironically were beaten in the previous round by St Albans only for the Hertfordshire side to be thrown out for fielding an ineligible player.

Billericay, without injured striker Stafford Browne, took a 28th-minute lead when recent signing Joe Baker scored from a free-kick and more or less sewed up the game five minutes after the interval when, from Paul Linger's through ball, a dreadful defensive howler let Justin Gentle in to make it 2-0.

Chesham, with ex-Billericay men Marc Sinfield and Martin St Hilaire in their line-up, enjoyed plenty of second-half possession, but only really threatened when Stuart Storer's 68th-minute cross saw Terry Bowes send in a header which visiting goalkeeper Gavin King dived to save at full length.

The draw for the two-legged semi-final is on Friday and Billericay are back in League action for the first time in three weeks on Saturday when Hitchin visit New Lodge.

Meanwhile, Canvey Island moved confidently through to the knockout stages of the Eastern Floodlight Competition with a 6-1 win over Schweppes Essex Senior League Burnham Ramblers at Park Lane on Tuesday night.

Two goals from Paul Abrahams (24 and 27 minutes) saw Gulls well in control at the break and they were home and dry when Neil Gregory notched a double after 50 and 65 minutes.

Jeff Brazier made it 5-0 with a quarter-of-an-hour to go and an own goal rounded off Canvey's scoring five minutes later.

Prolific marksman Kristian Downe grabbed an 86th-minute consolation for the visitors. The Islanders, lying fifth in the Ryman League Premier Division, visit third-from-bottom Harrow Borough on Saturday before making the trip to Jewson League Clacton Town next Tuesday in the quarter-finals of the Essex Senior Cup, a competition they won in such fine style last term.

Great Wakering Rovers quickly bounced back from Saturday's FA Carlsberg Vase demise by beating old rivals Southend Manor at Burroughs Park on Tuesday night in the East Anglian Cup first round.

Two goals from assistant manager Alan Hull, the former Leyton Orient striker, saw Rovers home after the Schweppes Essex Senior League visitors had taken a tenth-minute lead through Simon Cox, who scored with a header from Ben Barnett's cross.

Hull's goals, after 44 and 65 minutes, followed respective runs from new signing Adam French and Neville Hickton.

Wakering, who lost their Ryman Division Three top spot to East Thurrock United last weekend, are without a League game on Saturday, but return to action with an Essex Thames-side Trophy visit to Purfleet, the club French joined them from, on Monday.

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