Bonne and Merrifield doubles fire Billericay into the top three

Monday 12 October 2026 · By Warren Tilbury

Billericay Town are making a big impression in their first season back in the Enterprise National League South. Danny Scopes’ side thrashed Farnborough 4–0 at home on Saturday, with Macauley Bonne and Frankie Merrifield both scoring twice.

Bonne made a fast start. He opened the scoring in the fourth minute, following up after Charlie Ruff hit the bar, and doubled the lead on 18 minutes. Billericay then controlled the game until the closing stages, when Merrifield scored on 89 minutes and again in the fourth minute of stoppage time. A crowd of 1,352 watched the win.

The result lifts Billericay to third in the table on 21 points from 11 games, level with Salisbury and Truro City and a point behind leaders Maidstone United. They have won six, drawn three and lost two, and they are now six league games unbeaten. Their last five league results read won, drawn, won, won, won.

Goals have been the story of their season. Billericay have scored 25 league goals, the most in the Enterprise National League South, and conceded 14. Bonne’s early double on Saturday was a reminder of his quality in front of goal, while Merrifield’s late brace showed that the threat comes from more than one source.

It is a remarkable start for a promoted side. Billericay came up from the Isthmian Premier Division last season as play-off winners, and many would have expected them to spend their first season consolidating. Instead they are firmly in the promotion picture, and supporters are already wondering whether back-to-back promotions might be possible.

Scopes has been in charge since 8 September 2025, and the progress under him has been rapid. The challenge now is to maintain that consistency over a long season, and the fixture list offers some tough tests in the coming weeks.

Billericay will not play this weekend. Their scheduled home game against Truro City on Saturday 17 October has been postponed because Truro are in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round. That gives Scopes’ squad a week to rest and prepare.

When they return, Billericay travel to sixth-placed Weston-super-Mare on Saturday 24 October. They are then at home to Hampton & Richmond Borough on Tuesday 27 October and Hemel Hempstead Town on Saturday 31 October. With two home games in that run against sides in the bottom half, there is a real chance for Billericay to keep their momentum going.

The scoreline sends out a message to the rest of the division. Billericay have now scored four times in a league game against a side who started the day in the bottom half, and they did it with goals at both ends of the match.

Farnborough, beaten 4–0 on Saturday, are 18th and have won only one of their last six games, so this was the kind of result a side with promotion ambitions needs. If Billericay keep scoring at this rate, they will be in the race all the way.