Barkingside came from
behind to take victory against Benfleet at Cricklefields in what was a very
entertaining Thurlow Nunn First Division KO Cup second round tie, sending the
hosts through to the last 16 of the competition.
Both sides had received byes into the second round, and
Benfleet thought they had taken a first minute lead when a free-kick bounced
all the way into the net, but the flag was up so it was chalked off, and a
minute later the hosts did take the lead when Olajide Yusuff converted from
close range.
Benfleet fired a couple of decent efforts just over the
hosts goal, and in the fifteenth minute levelled in spectacular style when
Taylor Lawrence magical left foot fired an unstoppable free kick into the hosts
net, and we were all square.
And just five minutes later Benfleet had the lead as after
Jamie Brown had been brought down inside the box, Lawrence stepped up to
convert the spot kick and the visitors were suddenly the team with the
advantage.
The visitors were now well and truly in the front foot and
saw a cross just invade attackers coming in, before another effort was flicked against
the hosts post after a cross to the near post, and you felt it was only a
matter of time before they added further goals.
Benfleet saw another couple of goal bound efforts blocked,
before the hosts managed to put a good move together resulting in them getting
into a great position, but the cross was mishit and easily cleared by the visitors.
Side then sent a long range effort straight at visiting
keeper Danny Confrey, before hosts keeper Jude Fudge made two brilliant stops
to deny the visitors again, but the hosts should of then levelled when
presented with a glorious chance inside the Benfleet box, but the effort was
somehow dragged wide.
The final action of the half saw Benfleet flash a ball
across the box, and this exhilarating half of football came to an end with the
visitors just the one goal ahead.
Half Time Barkingside
1 Benfleet 2
Benfleet saw two close range headers squandered early in the
second period, whilst Side fired an effort way over the bar down the other end,
but in the 57th minute the hosts levelled when Jacob Dingli was
played in on goal and he kept his cool to slot past Confrey and bring his side
level once again.
And it was two in two minutes for the hosts as they regained
the lead they got early in the piece, as a brilliant cross from Ben Clarke saw Benfleet
centre half Sonny Hartman turn the ball into his own net at the back post.
The visitors must have been scratching their heads as to how
they were behind in a game they could have easily been out of sight, but credit
to Barkingside who had dug in and now reaped the rewards for that, and they
almost got in for number four too but for a brilliant last ditch tackle to
prevent them.
Benfleet then passed up another brilliant opportunity when
after Fudge had saved an effort, the rebound was somehow put over the gaping
goal, and then the visitors missed a sitter at the back post after a ball
across goal, before Side dragged wide at the other end.
The visitors then sent another close range header off
target, before Fudge sent the goal kick straight back to Benfleet who looked
odds on to punish him for it, but they sent the effort wide of the target, and
the hosts still had that lead.
And with the visitors putting a lot of pressure on the hosts
goal, Side managed to break out and it took keeper Confrey to thwart the effort
in the end and keep his side just about in it.
And with eight minutes off stoppage time elapsed the hosts
just of added a clinching fourth as another break after the visitors had pushed
forward, a ball squared across the area was somehow side footed wide of an open
goal, it was another unbelievable miss.
Soon after though the whistle went to end what had been a
very high tempo entertaining encounter, and the hosts had come out on top in
the end.
Full Time Barkingside
3 Benfleet 2
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