The wet conditions meant this was never going to be a pretty game of football and the hosts mastered the conditions better, the result would be the rovers first defeat in four games and remained in fourth of the Essex Senior League while Benfleet moved up from 16th to 13th.

The local game was well attended by supporters of both sides, with over one hundred in support for the rovers.

Great Wakering Rovers made two changes with Ben Search returning into the line up from suspension for the injured Bradleigh Rowland and Max Gnandi returned to the bench for Harry Brown.

KICKOFF:

The game was never going to be an easy affair as the host adjusted better to the wet conditions as the rovers struggled to make any clear cut chances.

Just halfway into the first half, rovers were dealt a blow when midfielder Jack Dickinson pulled up and had to leave the field of play. Luca Albon took his place.

Benfleet had chances of their own but both efforts from Billy Carter and Mason Shave were dealt comfortably by George Martin.

Rovers had a goal chalked off for offside after Ben Search played in Raheem Gray inside the box but he was deemed to have passed the last defender.

With 28minutes gone, Callum Boylan pounced on the ball following a cross by Bradley Bennett which was partially cleared to the back post but the Benfleet goalkeeper Harrison Crowther did well to rush out and close down the shot.

The Benfleet side were well organised and had a game plan which the visitors struggled to break down and the stoic defence of Benfleet were well drilled to deal with the pace of the visitors as they struggled to create any clear cut chances.

The best chance of the half for the rovers was after half an hour from the following corner when Ben Search whipped in a corner and Harry Talbot’s header bounced off the top of the cross bar and out for a goal kick.

With just under five minutes left, Benfleet were awarded a spot kick. A ball played from the midfield caught the visitors off guard and Billy Carter managed to cut into the area and before he got his shot off he was brought down by Alfie Whiteaker and the referee immediately pointed to the spot.

Mason Shave stepped up and his penalty rebounded off the right post which George Martin dived correctly towards after a brief scramble Alfie Whiteaker briefly cleared the ball off the line but Toby Dickinson managed to poke the ball in to give the hosts the lead just before halftime.

Rovers almost drew the game level straight after as a fantastic strike for Ben Search just sailed past the post.

The visitors had shouts for a penalty when Ben Search went down in the box chasing after a cross from Harry Talbot but the referee gestured for a corner instead.

Deep in added time, Benfleet were close to doubling their lead when a great pass from Dickinson found Mason Shave and his fierce strike thundered off against the cross bar.

HALFTIME: Benfleet 1-0 Rovers

The start couldn’t have started any better for the hosts as they doubled their lead a minute in.

Benfleet won a free kick near the centre circle and Lawrence delivered the ball into the box. Cameron Harris rose highest of anyone and managed to direct the ball towards the left corner beyond the outstretched arms of George Martin.

The match was starting to slip away from the visitors and the hosts were using the conditions more to their advantage with their style of play.

With fifteen minutes left of play Great Wakering Rovers started to throw in the kitchen sink but all their efforts would end without that clinical finishing touch.

A corner from Ben Search was cleared to the edge of the box and Harry Talbot got control of the ball before lashing is shot high over the bar.

Bradley Bennett was next to take the next chance when Luca Albon played a through ball from the midfield to the left side of the box but he miss hit his cross which went wide across the face of goal.

Rovers had several more chances five minutes from time when Ben Search played a through ball to Bradley Bennett on the left. Bradley squared the ball across goal to an unmarked Callum Boylan of all people but due to the surface the striker couldn’t get his feet right and the ball flashed across the face of goal.

Kingdom Dawson pounced on a loose ball inside the box and his decent strike from close range was well saved by Harrison Crowther and Ollie Jenkins produced a fine over-head kick from a cross by Bradley Bennett at the back post which cannoned off the cross bar.

The last chance was deep into the game when the ball squeezed over the top after the scramble on the edge of the box and Ben Search pounced onto the ball in the box. However, the Benfleet goalkeeper Harrison Crowther who had thwarted the visitors already bravely rushed off his line and denied the rovers skipper at point blank to preserve the host’s clean sheet.

FULLTIME: Benfleet 2-0 Rovers

Great Wakering Rovers missed the chance to move up to second in the Essex Senior League but they now must learn their lessons from this game and move on. They will now turn their attention to their first match of the new year as they travel away to Ilford on Saturday 4th January.

Well done to all who attended, your support is hugely appreciated by the team and we hope to see you all at the next game.

PS: photos curtesy of Nicky Hayes