Match Report

Canvey Island were narrowly beaten 2-1 by Brimsdown Rovers in the final of the Thames-side Trophy at Goldsdown Road.

After the tension and excitement of Saturday’s play off final victory over Redbridge, this game was something of an anti-climax. Some Canvey players had played over 4 hours of football in the past week and were understandably fatigued both physically and mentally.

As a result this was something of a low key and disjointed display by Canvey.

The Gulls did start brightly, scoring after 6 minutes and dominating the first half. Steve Corbell won the ball on the left and sent in a cross that found the head of Leon Gordon in the penalty area.
Gordon’s initial header was saved by keeper David Bull but the rebound fell to Gordon who fired home from a tight angle despite the best efforts of a defender to keep the shot out.

At this stage, Canvey were comfortably in control of the game. Richard Halle headed a Chris Bourne free kick just wide on 22 minutes and then Ryan Edgar came close to scoring twice.

On 25 minutes, a corner from Corbell was partially cleared to the edge of the area and Edgar curled a shot that just brushed the upright as it went wide.

Some good work by Nicky Rugg on 40 minutes saw him hold the ball up and find Edgar who thumped his shot inches wide from just inside the area.

There was a long delay in the play as a Brimsdown defender was carried off the field injured and in first half injury time, Halle again headed off target from Gordon’s left wing corner.

Canvey had dominated much of the first half but their failure to score a second goal to kill the game off proved to be their undoing.

As tiredness started to settle in, they became sloppy and Brimsdown began to have a greater share of the play.

Canvey still came close to grabbing a second goal though. Rugg headed just wide after good work by Daniel Francis down the right wing and then Gordon could only poke an effort straight at Bull after latching on to George Blewer’s cross.

Ian Luck replaced a tiring Nicky Rugg on 70 minutes and soon after Brimsdown grabbed an equaliser that their commitment deserved.

Their forward received the ball on the edge of the area and was able to turn and fire a low shot into the corner of the net that went in off the post.

Brimsdown dominated the final 15 minutes and came close to snatching the game in injury time when a header was deflected just wide. From the resulting corner another effort was blocked on the line.

So for the third game running, extra time was needed to decide the contest. Canvey replaced Francis and Stuart Batch with Kevin Dobinson and Andrew West but neither side looked capable of winning the game and a dull match seemed to be drifting towards penalties.

Gordon struck the underside of the bar in the second period of extra time after Bull had flapped at a right wing cross but it was Brimsdown who won the game on the counter attack with three minutes remaining.

They broke through down the left flank and as Ricky Wiseman raced from his goal to narrow the angle the ball was chipped back to the far post where the forward headed home with the aid of a deflection off Jon Stuart.

Canvey tried to grab an equaliser in the remaining time left but by now they looked tired and weary and a disappointing game ended with Brimsdown taking the Trophy.

Despite disappointment in not adding the Silver Galleon Trophy to their collection, this was still a memorable and successful season and Canvey will enjoy their summer with the mouth watering prospect of Ryman Premier football to look forward to in August.

Yellow’s Man of the Match:

RICHARD HALLE: Good, solid game at the back despite tired legs creeping in towards the end.

Match Report by David Powell.