Benfleet set up a
Quarter-Final tie with Hashtag United after they won an epic Thurlow Nunn First
Division KO cup tie against Coggeshall United at Park Lane.
The visitors didn’t take long to edge ahead in this one as
after three minutes they saw George Smith wriggle free before firing a super
effort into the bottom corner, whilst Benfleet almost levelled when a flick-on
saw an effort put over from close-range.
It had been a lively start though and in the 16th
minute the hosts did level when after Ben Foord had seen a goal-bound effort blocked,
Sam Dulieu was on hand to fire home the rebound, and then five minutes later
the hosts took the lead when poor defending presented the ball to Foord who
fired home.
The home side then almost got in a couple of times after
that but saw visiting keeper Matt Walker come out to thwart any danger, before
the visitors then saw a couple of openings go by the wayside, the first one saw
the ball overrun after it looked like they were in on goal, and secondly when
they blasted way over from a decent position.
And then the home keeper Flo Gislette had to be alert to
save an effort from a cut-back, and then he had to make a good double save to
keep the hosts ahead as the visitors ended the half well, but despite this Benfleet
did go into the break with a slender lead in what had been a very entertaining
half at Park Lane.
Half Time Benfleet 2
Coggeshall United 1
It was Benfleet who began the second half well, and three
minutes into it saw them increase their lead when Foord grabbed his second of
the game, glancing home a corner with his head at the near post.
Coggeshall responded and only a super stop from Gislette prevented
the visitors from pulling a goal back, and the game was still being played at a
hundred miles an hour and it was super to watch as both sides looked to attack.
Twenty minutes into the second period saw Coggeshall grab a
second and get themselves back into this contest once again, when Lewis Soraf
burst through and fired beyond Gislette into the far corner.
The visitors then almost gifted their opponents a goal when
a back-pass caught out keeper Walker but the ball went wide, and down the other
end Coggeshall thumped an effort wide.
Fleet then had the chance to possibly seal the tie but after
putting together a wonderful move, the finish was wayward, whilst the visitors
again struck just wide at the other end as this wonderful contest continued to
entertain.
And with seven minutes remaining the visitors got themselves
on level terms as Smith grabbed his second of the game, running onto a pass and
brilliantly lobbing the stranded Gislette into the far corner.
Both teams had chances to win the tie late on, but neither
could find a winner and the contest would have to be decided by penalties.
After thirteen successful penalties, including one were hosts
keeper Gislette did save but saw the ball spin into the goal, much to his
dismay, however it mattered not in the end as Coggeshall missed their seventh
spot kick meaning the hosts progressed into the Last Eight of the competition.
Full Time Benfleet 3
Coggeshall United 3 (Benfleet won 7-6 on
penalties)
No comments:
Post a Comment