Match Report

Canvey Island went down to a comprehensive 3-0 defeat against Harlow Town at Barrows Farm. Gulls finished the game with just 7 men after both Jay Curran and Chris Moore were sent off and Jon Edwards and Leon Gordon were forced off the field after picking up injuries. With Canvey having made their allotted three substitutions, they were forced to play the closing minutes of the game with just 7 players in what was at times a farcical game.

Gulls will feel a poor display by the referee cost them dearly and certainly both sendings off seemed very harsh and baffled supporters of both teams.

A crowd of just under 300 braved the torrential rain to watch this match and it was Canvey who started brightly with Leon Antoine testing the Hawks’ defence with his pace and strength.

Jay Curran was denied by a fine tackle by Paul Kear in the first ten minutes but 5 minutes later, Curran was the first Canvey player to be shown a red card after an altercation with Mark Taylor as they both tussled for the ball.

This left Canvey with a mountain to climb and gradually Harlow started to get on top with the pace of Tashan Adeyinka starting to cause the Gulls’ defence a few problems.

Taylor fired a 25 yard free kick over the bar on 23 minutes and then moments later Mel Capleton in the Canvey goal produced some heroics firstly to deny Danny Green and then prevent Jordan Fowler from scoring from the follow up.

Despite being down to ten men, Canvey still looked a threat and battled well on a difficult wet surface. On 34 minutes, they were denied an opening goal by an outstanding save by Harlow keeper James Hassell. Edwards played a fine ball into the box which Moore managed to get his head to but Hassell showed superb reactions to get his hand to the ball and push it on to the crossbar and away for a corner.

Five minutes later, Moore was booked for a clumsy challenge but Canvey continued to show great fight with Stuart Ainsley going close on the stroke of half-time with a volley from the left hand edge of the area that skimmed just wide of the post.

Canvey replaced Ryan Oliva with Andrew West but Canvey suffered a blow seconds into the half when a slip by Moore allowed Adeyinka to run through the Canvey defence and fire low into the bottom corner of the net beyond Capleton.

Canvey were stunned and could have conceded again in the next few minutes as Capleton made four outstanding saves. He firstly made an acrobatic save to push away a shot from the right hand edge of the area and then got across his goal to fingertip Green’s rebound over the bar.

Moments later, Capleton had to tip a header over the bar after Canvey failed to clear a corner properly and then the veteran keeper continued to impress making a sprawling save to push a shot away for a corner.

Canvey eased the pressure slightly with Antoine unlucky not to grab an equalising goal when he got on the end of Ainsley’s left wing cross but Hassell did well to turn Antoine’s header away from goal.

The game was as good as over on 58 minutes when the referee awarded a penalty after he judged that Moore had fouled James Bunn in the penalty area. The decision seemed somewhat harsh but the referee showed Moore a second yellow card and up stepped Taylor to slam his penalty home into the bottom corner of the net.

There was no way back now for Canvey and with just 9 men on the pitch it was pretty much a case of damage limitation. Richard Halle replaced Ben Patten and Canvey at least kept battling with Gordon curling an effort over and Ainsley testing Hassell with a free kick that the keeper saved comfortably.

Worse was to come for the Gulls on 71 minutes when Capleton bravely made a fine double save to deny Adeyinka. In the process of doing this, Capleton picked up an injury and was eventually forced off to be replaced by Ricky Wiseman.

Danny Green came close to making it 3-0 moments later but watched as his precisely placed shot cannoned back off of the post after good work by Bunn.

Canvey’s afternoon continued to go from bad to worse when Edwards collided with a Harlow player and was forced off with an injury. Having used all three substitutes, Canvey had no choice but to play the remaining ten minutes with 8 men.

The Hawks took advantage of this by sealing the game with a third goal with seven minutes remaining. Green who enjoyed a superb game on the left wing sent Bunn clear with a great pass and he calmly chipped the ball over Wiseman and into the top corner of the net.

With a few minutes remaining Leon Gordon became Canvey’s next casualty when he was forced off with cramp. So a farcical game ended with Canvey having just 6 outfield players. Harlow played the remaining few minutes in their own half merely keeping possession and not risking the game being abandoned due to an injury or sending off to a Canvey player.

An afternoon that Canvey will quickly want to forget and they will be hoping to bounce back with a victory next weekend when they play Hastings United at Park Lane.

Oysterfleet Man of the Match:

MEL CAPLETON:   Made some outstanding saves that kept Canvey in the match.

Match Report by David Powell.