Coggeshall United 3 Sporting Bengal United 2
Buildbase FA Vase 2nd Qualifying Round
Sunday 11th October
Sporting Bengal’s FA Vase campaign ended at Coggeshall United who scored early on in the contest, before adding two further goals in the second half. Bengal were able to level up, and then pull a goal back, but they were unable to pull something special off in the final stages of the game to keep their interest in this season’s competition alive.
The hosts took an early lead as a ball in the box came to Joe Debell who cut inside and then somehow managed to squeeze the ball under Denzil Kobia. Bengal were hoping that the discussion between Referee and his Assistant would chalk off the goal – the Referee however awarded the goal. The game was only three minutes in and the visitors were now chasing the game. And it almost became an even harder task when Coggeshall’s next chance came minutes later; a free kick reached Debell whose shot was only a whisker too high.
Bengal then had a good chance themselves as a Joe Santos free kick nearly got turned in by Joel Ramos. But Hussein Jaffa soon launched another Coggeshall attack, playing in Skirmantis Bulauka who had a grasscutter tipped around the post by Kobia. Patrick Campbell dinked a shot over for the hosts who were starting to dominate proceedings. The visitors then had a heart-stopping moment when Raul Gazi almost sliced a ball into his own net; luckily his own keeper was able to make a save to save his blushes.
Marc Gorbell went in the book for a challenge on Santos, then Leo Vierra fouled a Coggeshall player to also have his name taken, and at times some of the challenges were full-bloodied to say the least!
Bengal slowly started to have a few chances as the half wore on though. Rachid Qist got on the end of a free kick and drilled it just wide; then Ramos weaved his way towards the Coggeshall box before being hauled down. Qist’s free kick was headed away for a corner by Gorbell.
But the final five minutes belonged to the hosts who were looking to add to their tally, with Jaffa being the main protagonist. He managed a cross-shot that was hooked off the line by Anthony Murray Bruce; then moments later Campbell put in a cross from the right and Jaffa fired off a shot-on-the-turn that was kept out by Kobia. A Vaz cross was then headed wide by Jaffa, with the half coming to an end just at the time when Sporting Bengal were under heavy pressure.
The second half started with Kobia almost making a blunder. Debell had a low shot which Kobia totally misjudged and it almost crept in.
But in the 47th minute Sporting Bengal pulled level when Qist rounded the Coggeshall keeper and thumped the ball into the roof of the net.
The game was level for five minutes until a Soraf free kick caused all sorts of problems. Kobia had saved the initial shot, but there then followed a goalmouth scramble and Bengal were unable to clear their lines, allowing Jaffa an opportunity to stab the ball home to put his team back in the lead.
Three minutes later and Bulauka went down a bit lightly in the box, but a penalty was awarded and from it Soraf made it 3-1 to Coggeshall United. Soon afterwards and Kobia was having to dive to his left to prevent a Vaz long range shot making it 4-1.
Bengal to their credit did continue trying to get forward but once Coggeshall had a bit of daylight between them I was starting to think that there was no way Bengal were going to find a way back into it. But they soon ripped up that theory because in the 72nd minute Barnett was tackled by Gorbell, but the ball came to Emerson Mario D’Jar whose shot took a deflection and beat Down at his right-hand post.
Sporting Bengal now had a fighting chance and they really went at the hosts in the final ten minutes. Marques had a free kick blocked, then D’Jar flashed a shot across Coggeshall’s goal. Qist went agonisingly close with a shot that hit the post, with D’Jar having a go on the rebound but Down was equal to it and dived at full-stretch to keep the ball out. And there was just enough time for D’Jar to rifle a shot over, but even then that was not the final chance of the game as Alex Olduadey managed to get past the Bengal defence but Kobia came out and smothered the ball. There was no time for Bengal to launch one final assault as their Vase campaign ended in rural Essex at the hands of Step 6 opposition.
Coggeshall United: Lewis Down, D’Norfe Dias Vaz, Eligijus Bulawka, Jamie Dobkin (Capt), Patrick Campbell, Marc Gorbell, Lewis Soraf (Matthew Travell 89′), Tyler John, Hussain Jaffa (Abednego Mensaw 77′), Skirmantis Bulauka (Alex Olduadey 65′), Joe Debell.
Scorers – Joe Debell (3′), Hussein Jaffa (52′), Lewis Soraf (55′).
Sporting Bengal United: Denzel Kobia, Rokib Choudhury (Capt), Raul Gazi (Pedro De Brite 85′), Leo Vierra Co (Carlos Hudner 46′), Lee Sharpe, Anthony Murray Bruce, Chaka Barnett, Hernany Marques, Rachid Qist, Joe Santos (Emerson Mario D’Jar 60′), Joel Ramos.
Scorers – Rachih Qist (47′), Emerson Mario D’Jar (72′).
