Match Report

Canvey Island’s bid for a play off place stuttered with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Witham Town at Park Lane. On paper, Gulls would have been favourites to notch up a convincing win over their mid table opponents but despite dominating much of the game, they were made to pay for a sloppy second half performance.

Canvey were far the better side in the first half and constantly opened up the Witham defence with some good passing football and decent play down both wings.

Both Chris Bourne and Leon Gordon were lively down the flanks and Witham keeper Rhys Madden was kept busy as they put in some dangerous crosses.

Canvey took the lead on 14 minutes. Ryan Edgar picked up the ball and knocked a through ball that was flicked on by Gabriel Fanibuyan into the path of Jay Curran who ran on and fired low into the bottom corner beyond Madden for his 11th goal of the season. The referee did well to play the advantage as Fanibuyan was fouled in the build up to the goal.

The goal settled Canvey down and they won numerous corners and free kicks in dangerous positions but couldn’t quite find the killer second goal.

On 26 minutes Edgar volleyed wide from the edge of the area after a clearance from Gordon’s corner dropped to him.

Witham’s strike pairing of Julian Edwards and Cody Mcdonald were getting very little change out of Colin Wall and Kevin Dobinson who both had excellent games.

Canvey finished the half on the attack twice going close.

On 39 minutes, Curran latched on to Bourne’s excellent pass and fired in a first time volley that Madden did well to hold.

Madden was again forced into a save moments later when Bourne broke down the left but the former Hornchurch keeper did well to save Bourne’s low shot with his legs.

On the stroke of half time a cross from Gordon into the area caused havoc in the Witham defence but Fanibuyan could only send an acrobatic effort high and wide of the goal.

After dominating the first half, Canvey struggled to regain their momentum and were guilty too many times of playing high balls into the area that were easily dealt with by Witham’s tall centre backs.

They started the second period positively enough though. Dobinson should have extended their lead on 55 minutes when a loose ball fell to him at the far post from Gordon’s right wing corner but the experienced defender fired his shot over the bar.

Witham at this stage were starting to gain more of the possession and with the game getting rather scrappy, they were first to a lot of the loose balls.

McDonald really should have grabbed an equaliser on 59 minutes when Edwards burst down the right and played in a low cross that McDonald somehow managed to fire wide of a gaping goal at the far post from just a few yards out.

McDonald made amends five minutes later though by grabbing the equaliser. Canvey keeper James Russell failed to hold a right wing cross under pressure from the forwards and McDonald was there to bundle the ball home.

Canvey despite their possession after this struggled to really test Madden in the Witham goal. Too often they played high aimless balls into the box that Nathan Sharp in particular dealt with comfortably. When they did get down the flanks though and play in decent crosses, Madden on numerous occasions showed impeccable handling to come and claim these crosses with confidence.

Canvey brought on both Nicky Rugg and Andrew West in an attempt to change the game but endured a frustrating final twenty minutes.

Fanibuyan miskicked into the side netting when a loose ball fell to him at the far post but despite the best attempts of Chris Bourne down the left, the Witham rearguard was defending well.

Curran headed over Bourne’s left wing cross on 89 minutes but it was Witham who could have snatched the winner in injury time when a Canvey defender did well to throw his body in front of a goal-bound shot.

Canvey had to settle for the point but will feel this was two points lost. They will look to bounce back with good performances in their games over the Easter period starting with Waltham Abbey on Good Friday.

Oysterfleet Man of the Match:

COLIN WALL: Another commanding performance from the experienced centre back.

Match Report by David Powell.