Benfleet 1 Newbury Forest 2

Thurlow Nunn First Division South, Wednesday 1st February

Wednesday saw me over at Park Lane, Canvey, for a Thurlow Nunn First Division South contest with a dramatic ending as a stoppage time goal from Miles Peterkin handed visitors Newbury Forest a come from behind victory against Benfleet.

Hosts Benfleet sat tenth in the division having won ten of their twenty one games so far, and were nine points off the play off spots, somewhere were they were expecting to be this season after last season near miss of gaining promotion, and they were up against a side who were five places below them and twelve points worse off having lost fourteen of their twenty two league games.

And the visitors form heading into this one wasn’t brilliant, as in the two games they had played in 2023, both had been defeats, the latest one a 6-0 drubbing at Sporting Bengal United, but the visitors could take comfort from the fact that Benfleet’s home form was awful, no league wins at home all season, and six defeats in those eight home games so far too, but would you believe it Fleet’s only home win all season came against, yes you’ve guessed it, Newbury Forest, in an FA Vase encounter back in September.

In fact Fleet have beaten Forest in both their matches this season, also winning 2-0 at Oakside in the corresponding fixture, so the odds were certainly in favour of a home win, although Fleet have also lost both games in 2023 as well so who knows what was going to happen!!!

So, what did happen? Fleet were certainly undercooked as this was their first outing since 7th January, almost a whole month, whereas Forest had played twice in the final week of January, so would this play a part? 

The first two thirds of the contest certainly were not tinged with much quality as the contest was scrappy at best, the home side probably had the best of the contest in that period though, but found visiting keeper Harrison Cole in the way, Ramblers were left frustrated and even saw their skipper Aaron Russell sin binned towards the end of the first period, and after the break Forest did actually muster up probably the best chance when Brandon Fulton found himself with just hosts keeper Charlee Jackson to beat but sent his effort the wrong side of the post.

The final twenty minutes plus stoppage time though saw plenty go on, the hosts managed to edge themselves ahead in the 73rd minute when Mason Shave stabbed home from inside a crowded penalty area, and that point you felt the hosts were on their way to a first home win in the league and get themselves back on track, and they quickly went about trying to find a second to clinch this contest.

However, there was to be another twist in this contest as the visitors went on a superb swift counter attack from their own penalty area, and it ended with Peterkin being played in on goal to fire beyond Jackson with seven minutes of the ninety to go, and then a few minutes later both sides were down to ten men after a tussle between hosts winger Billy Carter & visitors full back Courtney Justin resulted in a second yellow for the winger and a straight red for the defender.

Would there be a winner though? Indeed there would be, as six minutes into stoppage time Forest grabbed a winner when Peterkin found himself clean in on goal, we all looked to the assistant on the near side and he kept his flag down, allowing the striker to round the onrushing Jackson before sending the ball trickling towards goal in slow motion it seemed, before it rolled into the net to cue mass celebrations.

It was absolute heartbreak for Benfleet, what looked looked like a rare home win quickly turned to defeat, that would have been a bitter pill to swallow, whereas for Forest it was absolute joy at snatching the win right at the death when it looked as if they may have left with nothing, it had been a crazy last few minutes after the first two thirds had not been very memorable, so it was worth the wait you could say, unless you happened to belong to the hosts that is.

Full time Benfleet 1 Newbury Forest 2