Match Report

Canvey Island kicked off their first season back in the Ryman Premier League with a disappointing 4-2 defeat against Horsham at Park Lane.

In front of a crowd of 377, Canvey were made to pay for some sloppy defending as individual errors contributed to at least 3 of Horsham’s goals.

The Hornets edged this game, defending well as a unit with captain Sam Page in particular having an outstanding game and taking their chances when it mattered.

Canvey at times had the greater share of possession but didn’t really do enough to test Paul Seuke in the Horsham goal.

The Gulls started brightly with Ian Luck chasing a long ball down the left hand side after 4 minutes and firing in a first time shot that drifted wide of the far post.

Canvey though were given a rude awakening to life in the Ryman Premier League when they went behind after 13 minutes. Evan Archibald picked up a Lee Carey pass and was given too much time and space to fire a low shot from the edge of the penalty area that beat Ricky Wiseman at his near post.

Canvey were stunned and nearly conceded again moments later when Gary Charman found space in the penalty area but fired his shot into the side netting.

To their credit, the Gulls responded well and levelled quickly with captain Chris Moore marking his return to the club with a goal.

Moore’s height was causing the Horsham defence problems at set pieces and he got on the end of a superb left wing free kick by David Lee at the far post to send a powerful close range header beyond Seuke and into the net.

Canvey started to have a period of sustained pressure now and a superb piece of skill by Richard Halle down the left saw a great cross flash across the face of goal with nobody quite able to get the final touch.

Gabriel Fanibuyan dragged a shot wide from the edge of the area but Horsham still looked a threat on the counter attack.

They snatched the advantage once again on 40 minutes when Liam Baitup was quick to take advantage of a weak back-pass to go on and calmly round Wiseman and fire home into the empty net.

Horsham may have had a two goal advantage going into half time when Archibald burst through from a Lee Carney pass but fired wastefully high and wide of the goal.

Canvey were behind at half time but nearly grabbed an equaliser 8 minutes into the second half. Moore got on the end of a Lee free kick to flick a back header towards goal but Seuke did brilliantly to get down and scramble the ball around the post.

The Gulls’ frustration was becoming evident as Tarkan Mustafa, Kevin Dobinson and Moore were all booked in a five minute spell as Horsham started to get on top again.

Leon Gordon though did superbly to break down the right on 64 minutes and send in a superb cross that Leon Antoine volleyed spectacularly over the bar.

Canvey replaced Luck with Jay Curran a minute later but Horsham were now looking the more likely to score the next goal. Carey’s pass sent Baitup free down the left and despite being under pressure from Mustafa he managed to get in a shot that Wiseman did well to block at his near post.

Mustafa lashed a shot wide from the edge of the area on 72 minutes but Horsham responded with Wiseman being forced into another fine save. Russell Eldridge’s quickly taken free kick found Carney unmarked in the penalty area and his stinging shot was palmed away well by Wiseman.

Carney though virtually sealed the game on 77 minutes when he took advantage of Andrew West’s under-hit back-pass to run through and confidently stroke the ball past Wiseman.

The fourth goal arrived 3 minutes later. Eddie French’s long ball eluded the Canvey defence allowing substitute Lee Farrell to break clear down the right flank. Farrell crossed for Archibald to tap home.

Canvey responded with Lee curling a free kick over the bar after Dobinson had been fouled on the edge of the penalty area but they did manage to pull another goal back on 84 minutes.

Leon Antoine broke on to a through ball and forced Seuke into a fine save but the rebound fell to Curran who volleyed home acrobatically into the roof of the net.

Curran was booked moments later after an altercation with Jack Page and Horsham may have grabbed a fifth goal just before the final whistle when a fine pass by Alex Haddow sent Farrell through down the left and he got in a shot that Wiseman again saved at his near post.

This was something of a wake up call for Canvey who will definitely have to eradicate some of the awful defensive errors that they made today if they are to make an impact in the Ryman Premier Division.

Next up for the Gulls is a tough trip to Maidstone United on Tuesday night.

Oysterfleet Man of the Match:

LEON GORDON: Was a constant threat down the right wing.

Match Report by David Powell.