Match Report

Canvey Island suffered a 4-0 hammering against Dartford at Princes Park.

The last time Canvey made the short journey across the River Thames, they went down to a 6-1 stuffing at the hands of the Kent side and the Gulls were made to pay for sloppy defensive errors that certainly contributed to their own downfall.

The 4-0 score-line flattered the home side as Canvey were probably the better side for long periods of the first half. Dartford though stepped up their game in the second half and took advantage of some horrendous errors in the Gulls’ defence with a ruthless efficiency.

Canvey started brightly in front of a 1,000 plus crowd and dominated the opening 15 minutes.
On 6 minutes, a right wing cross was knocked on by Leon Antoine to Stuart Ainsley who was unmarked at the far post, but he was off balance as he fired a presentable chance high over the crossbar.

Kevin Dobinson tried his luck with a shot that went high and wide before Dartford took the lead on 15 minutes.

Lee Noble picked the ball up around 25 yards from goal and the former Brentwood midfielder fired in a low drive that took a massive deflection that deceived keeper Ricky Wiseman as it spun into the net.

That goal seemed to settle the Darts down and the pace and skill of Noble and Ryan Hayes down the wings and Bradley Woods Garness up front was beginning to really unsettle the Canvey defence.

Hayes curled a free kick over the crossbar on 28 minutes after Woods Garness had been fouled on the edge of the area.

Woods Garness then showed his pace moments later to accelerate past Chris Moore down the left but the ex Billericay forward saw his shot beaten away by Wiseman.

Woods Garness picked up a knock just before half time and was replaced by Craig Carley.

Canvey ended the half strongly with Leon Gordon hooking in a cross from the left but Gabriel Fanibuyan couldn’t get a decent connection on his header and the ball bounced well wide of the target.

Canvey may have felt slightly aggrieved at the interval to be a goal down but they found themselves 2-0 down within 6 minutes of the second half starting.

The impressive Hayes was pulled back by Moore in the penalty area and up stepped Adam Flanagan to slam his penalty beyond Wiseman and into the net.

Canvey to their credit responded well and the hardworking Gordon twice came close to pulling a goal back.

On 57 minutes, Gordon chased an excellent flick on by Antoine then held off a defender before firing in a powerful shot that Dartford keeper Andrew Young did brilliantly to turn over the crossbar one handed.

Gordon then headed into the side netting at the far post after Tarkan Mustafa did well to get down the right and put in a superb cross.

Disaster struck though for Canvey when an awful defensive error gifted Dartford a third goal just past the hour mark.

Mustafa was caught in possession by Noble down the left and the winger scampered away to send in a low cross that Rob Haworth bundled home from a few yards out with the Canvey defence at ‘sixes sevens’.

That was game over for Canvey but Dartford compounded their misery on 63 minutes when Hayes spotted Wiseman off his line and from nearly 30 yards out and on the right wing, he sent a delightful lob into the top corner of the net.

Dartford were rampant now and Wiseman had to beat away another shot from Hayes and then watch as the Dart’s man of the match flashed a shot narrowly over the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area as the Kent side threatened to run riot.

Canvey replaced Andrew West and Dobinson with Jay Curran and Craig Davidson and Dartford brought on former Great Wakering players Steve Butterworth and James White but by now the result was a foregone conclusion.

Dartford came close to increasing their lead on a few occasions in the final 15 minutes although Canvey didn’t stop battling and were unfortunate not to grab a consolation goal.

Gordon nearly got his foot to a cross-shot from Antoine at the far post on 74 minutes and then after good work by Curran down the left, Antoine’s effort from close range was blocked by a combination of defender and the goalkeeper.

Curran had a couple of efforts off target but Dartford saw out the remaining ten minutes comfortably to record an emphatic victory.

Canvey now travel to Tooting & Mitcham on Saturday.

Oysterfleet Man of the Match:

LEON GORDON: Showed tremendous work-rate and never gave up.

Match Report by David Powell.