Match Report

Canvey Island suffered a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of Heybridge Swifts in the Essex Senior Cup at Park Lane. Their opponents from the Ryman Premier League won this game quite comfortably with forward Sean Marks grabbing a hat-trick as all five goals were scored before half time.
Canvey were lacklustre throughout and had no answer to Swifts’ pace, strength and immaculate finishing. The defeat could have been a lot heavier and the Gulls will certainly need to cure their defensive woes of recent games if their form is to improve.

Canvey started quite brightly with Daniel Francis firing a shot wide from the edge of the area after 5 minutes. This didn’t last though as Swifts took the lead on 9 minutes when Marks scored the first of his three goals latching on to Danny Gabriel’s knock-down to tap home at the far post.
Canvey responded well with Leon Gordon seeing an effort deflected wide but Canvey were struggling badly to deal with the pace and quality of the Heybridge attack.

On 31 minutes Swifts extended their lead with the best goal of the game. A cross-field pass picked out David Wareham in space on the left and the former Billericay winger was allowed time to come forward and unleash a thunderous shot from just outside the area that went in off the underside of the bar giving Glen Johnson no chance.

Marks missed a chance to extend the lead on 36 minutes but two minutes later Gabriel made it 3-0 when he dribbled towards goal and fired home into the bottom corner from just inside the area.
Marks completed his hat-trick with a quick-fire double just before half time. Firstly he headed home a cross from the left at the far post and then scored his third with a fine low shot from around 20 yards that nestled into the bottom corner.

5-0 down at half time and Canvey had little to play for but their pride in the second half.
Canvey replaced Ian Luck with Matt Reade but Heybridge nearly continued the goal-scoring at the start of the second half with Johnson making a fine double save and Danny Barber seeing his free kick glance off a post.

The Gulls finally tested Swifts’ goalkeeper Stephen Northwood on 59 minutes when Gordon’s powerful drive was turned over the bar after good work by Gabriel Fanibuyan. Canvey though were struggling to find a way past a well drilled Heybridge defence with former Canvey trialist Daryl Bourgeois having an excellent game.

Substitute Stuart Batch may have scored a rare goal on 77 minutes but fired over from close range after a good run and cross down the left by Chris Bourne.

Heybridge didn’t manage to increase the score and so Canvey suffered an embarrassing defeat that they will want to forget quickly as they prepare for an important FA Trophy clash at Brentwood on Saturday.

Yellow’s Man of the Match:

DANIEL FRANCIS:   The only Canvey player on the night who showed any real spark of invention. Kept working hard right until the end.

Match Report by David Powell