A Dwade James hat-trick helped see Leyton Athletic get through to the Essex Senior Cup Third Round after edging out Benfleet at Park Lane.
The Eastern Senior South hosts had knocked out Newbury Forest at Oakside in the last round whilst Essex Senior League Premier Leyton Athletic had edged past Burnham Ramblers on penalties to set up this tie.
The visitors would have gone into the tie as slight favourites no doubt and they were the closest anyone came to scoring in a fairly even opening quarter hour when a long range effort deflected just wide of the upright.
But in the 17th minute the visitors did take the lead in what was a very soft goal for the hosts to concede when an effort from player boss Jason Ngandu saw the keeper spill the effort allowing James to pounce and prod the loose ball over the line.
James then went close to doubling the visitors lead when he saw a shot well saved, but the hosts were still well in the game and the contest was still a fairly even affair although the hosts had yet to really cause the visitors any problems.
That was to change though as the final exchanges of the half saw Benfleet create several openings, some examples when they cut inside and fired over and then a looping ball to the far post just invaded them, and another chance saw a brilliant double save from James Scammell in the Leyton goal.
The visitors did break down the right late on in the half but the cross was poor and it meant the Step Five visitors had a slender lead at the break although knowing they were very lucky to still have that lead.
Half Time Benfleet 0 Leyton Athletic 1
The second period began much like the first had ended, with the hosts on the front foot, and they passed up another couple of opportunities and you started to wonder if it would be their day. You certainly felt they needed the next goal in this tie for it to continue to be a contest though.
But in the 64th minute they finally found a way through when defender Alfie Fletcher looped a brilliant header into the far corner of the net and grab a more than deserved equaliser in this one. They really had been dominant since the latter stages of the first half.
The visitors then had a huge handball shout turned down at the other end, although it looked more like ball to hand if truth be told, before the hosts saw a decent effort brilliantly tipped over by Scammell who kept his side level in this one.
But with thirteen minutes remaining the visitors did get their noses in front as Ngandu and James combined again with the former's square ball across goal being tapped home by the big centre forward, and the Step Five outfit led again.
The lead only lasted for two minutes though as Benfleet roared back in style, squaring a ball across goal for Ben Ford to tap home from inside the six yard box, and the tie was back in the balance once again.
This tie though had one final twist, as after Ford had missed a golden chance to give Benfleet the lead, Leyton went up the other end and after Ngandu had driven at the penalty area he laid a ball into the path of James who fired a brilliant left footed effort into the far corner with eight minutes left, and the visitors had edged in front again.
Another hosts effort was again passed up, before Ngandu had the chance to seal the win but dragged wide, before Benfleet then headed another effort over the top. And with the hosts pushing forward and leaving space for the visitors to attack, Leyton missed a couple of chances to add a fourth, but they did eventually hear the whistle and took a hard fought win in this one.
Benfleet will rue those missed chances no doubt, but they did themselves proud this evening, whilst fair play to Leyton Athletic for hanging in there at times and getting that victory, it was certainly an entertaining encounter indeed.
Full Time Benfleet 2 Leyton Athletic 3
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