DEAN Brennan feels an FA Cup first round replay will boost Billericay Town’s finances.

Moses Emmanuel’s wonder strike allowed the National League South table-toppers to clinch a 1-1 draw at Chesterfield.

And Brennan is looking forward to welcoming the National League strugglers to the AGP Arena in order to determine who will feature in the second round of the competition.

“It was a great day out for the football club and we get another bite of the cherry, which is good from a financial aspect as well,” said the Billericay boss.

“The finances obviously help at any football club because, at the end of the day, we are a non-league club.

“Whether you’ve got an owner like we have or not, finances help everybody.

“It’s another exciting evening that we’re going to bring to our football club and we’re really looking forward to it.

“But we’ve got to get our feet firmly on the ground and start focusing on Hungerford Town.”

Ahead of the meeting at the Proact Stadium, Chesterfield chief Martin Allen claimed that the visitors were the favourites to come out on top.

But the hosts moved into a 17th minute lead as Laurence Maguire - the brother of England’s World Cup star and Leicester City central defender Harry Maguire - nodded beyond Billericay goalkeeper Alan Julian.

However, Billericay should have gone in at the break on level terms as Joe Kizzi’s pass across the face of goal was somehow missed by Ross Lafayette.

But the equaliser did come eight minutes after the interval as Emmanuel fired home from long range following a neat turn.

Both sides will be in the hat for tonight’s second round draw and, although Brennan believes Town were the underdogs at the Proact Stadium, he feels Billericay are capable of overcoming the Spireites at the AGP Arena.

“We fancied our chances against Chesterfield and we thought it was a 50/50 game,” added Brennan.

“I thought we were slight underdogs because they are full-time, whereas we had three players that couldn’t make training on Thursday because of a crash on the M25.

“Two of those players started, so they are the obstacles we have to overcome but we showed that grit, hunger and belief.

“The supporters stuck with us and when that happens, special things can happen.”