Substitute Gabriel Odili netted an 86th minute winner as May & Baker twice came from behind to defeat Benfleet in a thriller at Park Drive and take all three points in their Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South contest.
The first chance fell to the visitors when they fired inches over, with the ball taking a slight deflection off a defender, and from the resultant corner saw a close range header cleared off the line, whilst the hosts then sent a good ball into the box and after it was recycled to the edge of the box, an effort was struck wide of the post.
Bakers then missed a great chance as a ball to the far post saw a free header put wide from point blank range, and Benfleet then went up the other end and took the lead in the 25th minute as Mitch Curran glanced a header into the far corner, which was slightly against the run of play if truth be told.
The visitors almost responded soon after when firing across goal but no one could get on the end of it, and then the hosts almost had the chance to double their lead after intercepting a poor pass across field, but after a nice lofted pass went in behind the defence, visiting keeper Frankie Worboyes managed to come and claim.
The visitors then headed over but five minutes before the break did manage to level when Henry Osei got into the box and fired a decent finish into the net with the outside of the boot, and it meant the teams went in level at the break.
Half Time Benfleet 1 May & Baker 1
The hosts had an early chance in the second period after whipping a ball towards goal which was just about saved by Worboyes, before hosts keeper Confrey somehow palmed a visitor’s effort onto the bar to prevent them from taking the lead.
Bakers then saw another chance go begging as a flick on released them on goal, but a poor touch saw the ball get away from them and roll off for a goal kick, and then moments later another visitors attack saw an effort deflected over the bar.
The hosts then struck wide down the other end as the game continued at a decent tempo, and then the visitors broke the offside trap but saw an eventual finish go off target, and then the hosts then got in down the right, only to send a curling effort go high and wide of the far post.
In the 64th minute though Benfleet got their noses in front for the second time when a brilliant cross to the far post found Aaron Russell who nodded home brilliantly, and the visitors tried to get back on level terms yet again but Confrey produced a decent stop before another effort was sliced wide.
Benfleet then had a couple of chances to increase their lead, seeing an effort blocked before the resultant corner was blasted over the bar after the loose ball had fallen to them inside the box, and then a terrific block down the other end thwarted the visitors again, you really couldn’t take your eyes off this one!!!
Benfleet then burst down the other end but saw their effort kicked away by Worboyes, and then in the 72nd minute Baker’s levelled again when a ball into the six-yard box saw Carl Patten loose his marker to side foot home from close range.
Confrey then made another brilliant save to deny the visitors from going ahead, and then the corner was flicked wide, and then the visitors burst through but overrun the ball, only to see Confrey fail to gather and see a defender come to his rescue, and then down the other end a ball was fired across the six yard box as both teams looked for a winner.
Benfleet then saw a header cleared off the line and then the visitors struck the post from close range, but, with four minutes left May & Baker grabbed the lead for the first time in this contest as substitute Odili burst through to slot home.
Bakers so nearly sealed the deal when they struck the woodwork with a terrific free-kick, and Fleet were to end the game with ten men after Curran was sin binned as the game entered stoppage time.
After two or three minutes of stoppage time though this terrific game was brought to an end, and the visitors had taken the points here to remain in the top ten of the division, only two points off the top four places and one behind fifth placed Benfleet.
Full Time Benfleet 2 May & Baker 3
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