Benfleet 1 Wivenhoe Town 4

Essex Senior Cup Preliminary Round, Wednesday 20th October

I was over Park Lane for another Essex Senior Cup Preliminary tie on Wednesday and it saw a Jack Mead brace help Wivenhoe Town set up a First Round tie at Holland after victory over Benfleet in soaking wet conditions on Canvey Island.

I had seen Holland defeat Barkingside on Monday night at Cricklefield (blog here) to set up a home tie at Dulwich Road against the winners of this game, and like Monday's game this was an all Thurlow Nunn Division One South contest, and these two were both in the top five of the league table as well, so no doubt it would be a competitive fixture.

The first half was played in dry conditions (before the deluge of rain arrived at half time) and it was the visitors who probably edged the opening half, and they held the half time lead courtesy of a goal midway through the half from full back Mead, who received a pass from the right as he charged into the box, kept his composure and slotted home.

Benfleet though managed to level three minutes after the restart though as a ball swung into the six yard box found Billy Bonham-Dare who headed into the far corner to continue his decent goal scoring spell in the last few games, and the game remained level heading into the final fifteen minutes with both sides trying to keep their footing on what was now a very slippery pitch due to all the rain that was now falling.

However, with twelve minutes remaining Mason Shave was given a straight red card by the referee after scything down an attacker who was attempting to run in on goal, although their was a covering defender with him so not sure it was a red card offence, anyway, from the resultant free-kick George Hart curled the ball into the top corner to restore The Dragons advantage.

That advantage was to grow seven minutes later as Wivenhoe grabbed a third to pretty much seal this one, as after Lewis Sonnex had invaded a sliding challenge to get clear down the right, his cut back found it's way to Tyler Kemp who took a touch and fired home from the edge of the box despite the defences best attempts to block the effort.

The visitors though had enough time to make it three goals in eleven minutes and add gloss to the scoreline when a sloppy pass from the hosts across their own eighteen yard box allowed Mead to steal in to intercept the pass, drive into the box and produce a neat finish from the angle, and The Dragons were most definitely into the next round now.

That wasn't the last act of the game though and another talking point came deep into stoppage time as Bonham-Dare was given a second yellow for apparent dissent after being unhappy at how he had been treated by an opponent, which did not go down well with the home support in the stand or the hosts themselves, but they would end the game with nine men on a night they will want to forget.

The Dragons though thoroughly deserved their victory overall, and they will have a trip to Holland to look forward to in the coming weeks. Benfleet now turn their attentions to a big FA Vase tie at the weekend and will want to quickly get this defeat out of their minds.

Full time Benfleet 1 Wivenhoe Town 4