JAMIE O’Hara was overjoyed to end a chaotic week by guiding Billericay Town into the third qualifying round of the FA Cup with a 1-0 win over neighbours Basildon United.

Jordan Parkes came off the bench to grab the all-important goal at the Steel Team Stadium.

And - following a week which has seen ex-boss Harry Wheeler sacked and Glenn Tamplin step down as the club’s owner - O’Hara was pleased to get his reign off to a winning start.

Town’s new player-manager said: “There were a few shock results and the main thing was making sure we weren’t among them.

“We weren’t great and we need to be better in the final third.

“But - following the week we’ve had, the turmoil and uncertainty of the future of the football club - that was a fantastic result to get.

“It’s been a tough week for everyone involved at the football club.

“We were meant to train on Wednesday and it got cancelled because the owner stepped down.

“Everyone came in to talk about the situation going forward with the football club and it was not ideal preparation for the game.

“We got a result but Basildon made it difficult for us.”

Billericay struggled to break down a resolute Basildon defence and John Sussex’s Isthmian North side held their own in the tie.

Jake Robinson saw an early effort ruled out for offside as the striker pounced after Bees goalkeeper Clarke Bogard parried a Doug Loft strike.

Bogard then denied Robinson from point blank range, while Adam Vyse tested Billericay custodian Alan Julian.

Substitute Parkes broke the deadlock with an inch-perfect 25-yard free-kick which found the top corner of the net on 68 minutes.

Although Robinson struck the post late on, Parkes’ strike proved to be enough for the National League South outfit to see off Basildon.

And O’Hara, who came on as a substitute just a matter of minutes before the vital breakthrough, was keen to praise the 1,1,06 supporters in attendance after a testing week.

O’Hara added: “The fans were brilliant and I couldn’t ask any more of them.

“They obviously know, having been around the club, about the situation we are in.

“It was really positive that they came and supported us. We need the support and fans.

“Regardless of who the owner is and the money we have, this is still a fantastic football club to be part of.”