Match Report

Canvey Island’s FA Trophy hopes ended at the First Qualifying stage after they lost a dramatic penalty shoot out to Cambridge City at Park Lane.

Neither side could manage a goal in 120 minutes of action and it was Southern Premier League City who eventually triumphed 4-2 on penalty kicks after Richard Halle and Leon Gordon had missed their spot-kicks for Canvey.

City edged another very tight contest playing some excellent passing football but although Canvey at times didn’t seem to be at their best, they put in a committed and spirited performance and were unlucky not to nick the victory.

Canvey started brightly but it was City who had the first opportunity of the game after 15 minutes. Scott Neilson, who had an excellent game for City broke quickly through the midfield and passed the ball to Danny Spendlove who was free on the right hand side of the penalty area. Spendlove fired in a low driven shot that Canvey keeper Ricky Wiseman did superbly to get down to and push away.
Canvey responded well though with Jay Curran looking lively up front and David Lee contributing to some of their best moves from midfield.

Curran looked sharp when he turned and volleyed over a flick on after 17 minutes and then a few minutes later, he found space in the box but saw his close range shot blocked well and deflected wide for a corner.

The resulting set piece saw Chris Moore get his head to the ball and knock it on to Andrew West who couldn’t get his shot on target as he came in at the far post.

Sam Nunn was booked on 29 minutes for a crude tackle on Gabriel Fanibuyan as he raced down the left wing and 4 minutes later, the Canvey winger was booked for a similar rash challenge.

Despite Canvey putting the City defence under some pressure, they coped with this well with veteran Mark Smith in particular having an impressive game.

Nielson was constantly teasing West down the right wing with his pace and dribbling skills and gradually City started to get on top.

A neat passing move saw Nielson lay the ball off to James Krause but he curled his shot from the edge of the area just too high and wide of goal on 39 minutes.

For the most part though, Canvey’s defence was in excellent form with Moore and Ben Patten in particular having solid games.

If the first half was a fairly tight affair, then City dominated much of the second half especially the opening exchanges. Canvey looked rather sluggish at this stage and were struggling to keep possession in midfield and hold the ball up in attack. As a result this put the Canvey defence under some considerable pressure.

Lee Chaffey gave the Canvey defence a warning a minute into the half when he did well to dribble down the left and fire in a low cross that Wiseman managed to hold with both Roman Calliste and Neil Midgley in close attendance.

Calliste really should have scored on 48 minutes but after great play by Spendlove down the right, he fired his cross over the bar from just a few yards out.

Canvey finally offered some resistance with Curran nearly getting on the end of a right wing cross at the near post and forcing Neil Sharp to concede a corner.

Calliste then dragged a shot wide of the far post from 20 yards after losing his marker on 56 minutes before being replaced by Lee Roache a minute later.

Canvey were to suffer a real injury blow a few minutes later when Patten pulled up with a hamstring injury. He was replaced immediately by Ryan Oliva.

This change seemed to unsettle Canvey a bit and Wiseman was forced into a good save at his near post after Chaffey got his head to Stephen Smith’s free kick from the left.

With City continuing to apply the pressure, Canvey made another change by bringing on Leon Antoine for Lee on 70 minutes and his physical precense started to put the City defence under some pressure.

A few minutes later, Halle came close to opening the scoring when he latched on to Moore’s pass from a half cleared corner but saw his fierce shot from just inside the area deflected inches wide of the post.

It was City though who came back and had the chances to win the game before the end of normal time.
On 76 minutes, Nielson fired in a fine drive from the edge of the area that Wiseman did brilliantly to get across his goal to and turn away for a corner.

Five minutes later and it was Spendlove who tried his luck with a curling, dipping shot from near the penalty area that was just too high and wide.

A few minutes later and a fine passing move cut the Canvey defence open and saw the ball worked from right to left to Chaffey who was completely unmarked at the far post. Somehow the full back contrived to poke the ball wide from a few yards out with just Wiseman to beat.

He was nearly made to regret that miss deep into injury time when Curran picked up Antoine’s knock down from Leon Gordon’s right wing cross. Canvey’s top scorer managed to get a scuffed effort in on goal but Zac Barrett in the City goal managed to save and hold the ball low to his right.
Soon after the whistle went for normal time with a further 30 minutes needed to separate the two sides.

If Canvey had looked a little sloppy and off the pace at times in the first 90 minutes, they looked a team rejuvenated in extra time. Lead by the incisive breaks of Tarkan Mustafa and Gordon down the right, they attacked with renewed vigour and immediately put the City goal under pressure.

On 93 minutes, Halle got on the end of Gordon’s left wing corner but his header was finger-tipped over the crossbar well by Barrett.

Two minutes later and another superb break down the right by Gordon saw him play in an exquisite cross that Halle headed inches wide at the far post.

Canvey continued to exert the greater pressure and Oliva was the next to go close for the Gulls when his looping header from Gordon’s corner rattled the crossbar and bounced away to safety.

City had pretty much been under the cosh since the start of extra time but on 102 minutes, Nielson did well to break down the left and fire in a low cross that Spendlove somehow managed to lift over the bar from close range.

An enthralling match continued to swing from one side to the other and it was Canvey’s turn to go close on 105 minutes. Mustafa’s fine pass down the right released Antoine and he managed to drill in a low cross that found Fanibuyan lurking at the far post. Fanibuyan got in an effort on goal but somehow Nunn got his head in the way of the ball to deflect it away for a corner when a goal seemed inevitable.

The second period of extra time was quieter with Canvey continuing to have the greater pressure but struggling to break a tight City rearguard down.

So, with the score still goalless at the end of extra time, penalties were needed to decide who was going through to face Dover Athletic in the next round.

City kicked off first with former Canvey player Neil Midgley firing home. Craig Davidson did likewise for Canvey before Nielson’s kick was saved well by Wiseman.

Mustafa’s successful spot kick gave Canvey a 2-1 lead after two penalties but that advantage was eroded away when Chaffey fired home and then Halle skied his effort over.

Spendlove gave City a 3-2 lead by casually chipping his penalty home and when Barrett saved Gordon’s poorly struck kick, it meant City would go through if they scored their fifth and final penalty.

Substtiute Matt Haniver stepped up to calmly fire his penalty home beyond Wiseman to spark celebrations amongst the City players, management and fans.

A disappointing early exit for Canvey but there was very little to choose between the two sides over both games and certainly Gulls will take great credit in contributing to two thoroughly enjoyable games of football.

Canvey will attempt to bounce back on Saturday with a tough game against Ryman Premier League leaders Dover Athletic at Park Lane.

Oysterfleet Man of the Match:

TARKAN MUSTAFA:   A superb game at right back. Defended well and got forward to help the attack on countless occasions.

Match Report by David Powell.