Match Report

Canvey Island went down to a narrow 2-1 defeat against runaway league leaders Dover Athletic at the Crabble Athletic Ground.

The Gulls were unlucky not to come away with at least a point after a hardworking and spirited display that deserved more in front of a crowd of just over 1,000.

Canvey will feel aggrieved at Dover’s winning goal by substitute Jerahl Hughes who seemed to fire the ball home from an offside position 13 minutes from time.

Canvey manager John Batch was sent to the stands after protesting against the goal with the referee and linesmen but certainly Gulls will be heartened by a good display in which they battled hard in midfield and limited the Kent side to very few goal-scoring opportunities.

Dover took the lead with their first real attack of the game after 6 minutes. Former Grays player Matt Bodkin found space down the left and crossed for Lee Browning to poke home from close range.

Canvey to their credit didn’t let their heads go down despite this set back and after Browning lost possession, Gabriel Fanibuyan broke down the left on 12 minutes. He slipped a pass through to Jay Curran but he hesitated over his shot allowing Lawrence Ball to come across and clear the danger.

Despite grabbing an early goal, Dover failed to settle and Canvey gained a grip in midfield with Kevin Dobinson and Jon Edwards battling well.

Browning and Sammy Moore looked Dover’s most dangerous players but they were unable to supply forwards Frannie Collin and Shaun Welford who were kept quiet by the Canvey defence with Chris Moore in particular having another fine game.

Canvey came close to equalising on 33 minutes when Edwards was fouled by Moore on the left hand edge of the penalty area. Richard Halle stepped up and curled the resulting free kick around the wall but the ball bounced off of the outside of the post and away to safety.

Alan Pouton volleyed over for Dover and then Collin tested Ricky Wiseman with a low driven free kick that the Canvey keeper held well right on the stroke of half time.

Dover lead narrowly at half time and started the second half brightly with Halle booked for a clumsy challenge on the lively Bodkin on 50 minutes.

Canvey though with Fanibuyan and Leon Gordon working hard down the wings were always a threat and Dover’s on loan keeper Preston Edwards often had to be alert to deal with high balls into the area.

Edwards did well to catch a cross under pressure from Curran after good work down the right by Tarkan Mustafa on 53 minutes.

A few minutes later, Canvey grabbed an equaliser. Stuart Ainsley played a magnificent pass from deep inside his own half down the left that sent Curran clear. Curran waited for the ball to bounce once before lobbing a fine effort beyond Edwards from just inside the penalty area.

Oli Schulz headed over from Moore’s left wing corner soon after but Dover by now were growing frustrated with their inability to break Canvey down.

They brought on former Barnet striker Giuliano Grazioli plus Sam Jones and Jerahl Hughes in an attempt to inject some new energy into their attack.

The changes paid dividends as Dover regained the lead on 77 minutes in controversial fashion.
Grazioli did well to hold the ball up and then a well executed back-heel allowed Hughes to find space on the right hand side of the area and he slipped an angled shot beyond Wiseman and into the net. Canvey complained that Hughes was offside and John Batch was sent to the stands for his protests.

The Gulls acted immediately by bringing on Leon Antoine and Ian Luck for Curran and Fanibuyan.
Both Edwards and Luck tried speculative efforts that sailed high over the crossbar and then Gordon saw a volley from the right hand side of the area loop just over after Dover had failed to clear a bouncing ball in the penalty area.

In injury time, Pouton tested Wiseman with a powerful free kick from just outside the penalty area that the Canvey keeper did well to beat away.

The final whistle blew soon after and Gulls will be pleased with a decent display that deserved to yield more than a narrow defeat.

They are in action on Tuesday evening when Margate visit Park Lane.

Oysterfleet Man of the Match:

STUART AINSLEY: Decent display in defence and provided Canvey’s equaliser with a superb pass.