BILLERICAY Town will get the chance to defend their Isthmian League Cup crown after securing a 3-1 win over Corinthian-Casuals to book their place in the final.

Debutant Liam Hughes, Billy Bricknell and Adam Cunnington netted for Town after Gabriel Adunaike had given the visitors the lead.

And, as a result, the Isthmian Premier League table-toppers have reached a second final in less than a month, after already claiming their spot in the Essex Senior Cup showpiece.

Bricknell had the first meaningful opportunity of the night, but his header was comfortably saved by Danny Bracken.

Both sides were struggling to get to grips with the muddy surface at the AGP Arena, and the visitors were forced into an early change when the injured Max Oldham made way for Hamilton Antonio inside nine minutes.

Danny Waldren, who was playing at the heart of the back four, sent a header goalwards but his eight-yard effort was well stopped by Bracken as the hosts looked to gain the upper-hand.

But Casuals, who name West Bromwich Albion manager Alan Pardew among their former players, took the lead midway through the first half as Adunaike latched onto a poor back pass and calmly slotted the ball beyond Jack Giddens and into the corner of the net.

A fracas, following a late challenge by Jordan Clarke, ensued 10 minutes before the break. And the visitors’ Clarke and Odunaike, along with Billericay’s Hughes, were booked for the part they played in the melee.

Hughes missed a golden opportunity to get the home side back on level terms as he headed a Jamie O’Hara cross wide from close range.

But the new boy made amends on the stroke of half-time, as Hughes found the roof of the net with a bullet header.

Glenn Tamplin, who was in the dugout for the third time following his spell away from the sidelines, reacted to a disappointing first half display by making a triple substitution. Calum Butcher, Sam Deering and Cunnington entered the fray, with Waldren, Luke Rooney and Jake Robinson not emerging for the second period.

And Billericay thought they had taken the lead just five minutes into the second half, as Bricknell headed home a dangerous cross. But the striker was ruled offside and the visitors remained on level terms.

However, Bricknell was to get his name on the scoresheet just five minutes later. Casuals failed to clear a Billericay corner and Bricknell turned and found the top corner despite being under pressure from three visiting defenders.

And Billericay gave themselves a two-goal cushion less than two minutes later, as substitute Cunnington was the first to the rebound – after Bricknell had been denied by Bracken – and the striker slotted into the empty net.

Casuals – who came into the game in third place in the Isthmian South standings thanks to a last-gasp win over Chipstead last time out – looked to reduce the arrears, but Billericay’s backline held firm despite playing a large part of the second half with 10 men due to Josh Urquhart going off with an injury.

And Town will now look to get their hands on the Isthmian League Cup trophy for a second consecutive season.

Billericay Town: Giddens, Paine, Urquhart, Evans, Waldren (Deering 46’), Hughes, O’Hara, Bricknell, Rooney (Butcher 46’), Robinson (Cunnington 46’), Wheeler