Benfleet 3 Newbury Forest 1

Isuzu FA Vase Second Qualifying Round, Sunday 25th September

I was over at Park Lane on Sunday to see an all Thurlow Nunn South FA Vase 2nd Qualifying Round contest, and a brace from Taylor Lawrence helped Benfleet see off Newbury Forest on Canvey Island to progress into the First Round Proper.

Fleet have started the season well, six wins from nine league games and sitting in third with games in hand on the top two, whereas Forest have lost six of their nine league games and are down in fifteenth as a result, and when these two met in the league at Oakside eight days ago, Fleet ran out 2-0 winners courtesy of two first half goals from Deolindo Lima and Lawrence.

Those goals came inside the opening twenty five minutes in that league contest, and in this FA Vase tie the same two grabbed the goals as well as lightning struck twice, although this time they came inside the opening ten minutes as the home side flew out of the blocks, seeing Lima side footing home from inside the box after a cutback from the right after just two minutes, and then Ben Foord was brought down five minutes later inside the box, leaving Lawrence to send keeper Harrison Cole the wrong way from the spot.

Unlike the league game though, Forest managed to whether that early storm from the hosts and grabbed one back after just seventeen minutes when Matt Connolly was passed the ball and absolutely leathered a left footed effort from twenty five yards or so into the top corner with home keeper Flo Gislette a mere spectator, and suddenly the game was back in the balance.

A competitive half then followed as Benfleet's early dominance drifted away, and at half time the game could have gone either way despites Fleet's lead, so the next goal was going to prove crucial, who would get it?

Step up Lawrence, who dispatched a wonderful free kick into the top corner eight minutes into the second period to restore Fleet's two goal cushion, he had been inspirational in this contest and his two goals had certainly put the hosts well on their way to victory and progression into the proper rounds of the competition.

Forest to their credit kept plugging away, but their final pass or touch inside the final third was lacking, Chaka Barnett was a menace down the left all game, but the home side managed to keep him at bay, Fleet did have chances for a fourth themselves but were unable to add to their tally, and to be honest 4-1 would have been harsh on the visitors as they did compete well in this tie.

In the end though three was more than enough for the hosts who progress, they will now await Monday's First Round Proper draw to see who they face next in the Vase.

Full time Benfleet 3 Newbury Forest 1