Match Report

Canvey Island gained their first league victory of the season with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Margate at Hartsdown Park.

The Gulls were well worth this victory, dominating much of the game and playing some excellent football at times.

Canvey were solid in defence with Ben Patten and Chris Moore both having impressive matches but the key to this victory was in midfield where David Lee, Kevin Dobinson and Richard Halle bossed the game with a combination of skill and sheer hard work.

In fairness to Margate they did enjoy some good spells of pressure in the first half but couldn’t find a way past a well organised Canvey backline.

Margate started brightly and created the first opportunity after 4 minutes. Wayne Wilson’s corner was not cleared properly by the Canvey defence and Louis Smith rifled a shot on the turn from just inside the area over the bar.

Five minutes later and Ricky Wiseman was forced into a fine save to keep the score-line level. Good play by Roberto Corbishley and Ryan Peters down the left saw Corbishley play in a fine cross that fell to Wilson. Wilson struck a powerful first time volley from around 12 yards but Wiseman showed great athleticism to dive across his goal and push the effort away two handed for a corner.

Canvey responded a minute later with their first effort of the game. Gabriel Fanibuyan cut in from the left and fired in a shot from the edge of the area that Scott Chalmers-Stevens had to help over the bar.

Margate created some danger from a string of corners but Canvey weathered this storm and took the lead thanks to a fine strike on 21 minutes.

Leon Gordon picked the ball up a few yards from the penalty area on the right hand side and unleashed a powerful drive that flew into the top corner of the net off the inside of the post.

Canvey were ahead and with Jay Curran causing the Margate defence some real headaches at times with his persistence, they looked to increase their lead.

Curran nearly got on the end of a long pass on 34 minutes but some good defending prevented him from getting through and getting an effort in on goal.

Margate were still a threat and were unlucky not to equalise on 38 minutes. Wilson’s free kick from wide on the right nearly beat Wiseman at his near post but crashed back off the post. Smith got to the rebound to head back into the danger zone but Wiseman was there to punch clear.

Michael Power and Danny Stubbs tested the Canvey goal with shots before half time but both failed to trouble Wiseman.

Canvey suffered a blow moments before half time when Danny Curran who was named on the substitutes’ bench was shown a red card after an altercation with the linesman.

It left Canvey with just 4 substitutes to choose from but this didn’t seem to affect them as they upped their game in the second half looking for the second goal to kill the contest off.

The Gulls always looked dangerous from set pieces and on 50 minutes, Moore headed just over after an excellent delivery by Gordon from a left wing corner.

Canvey were beginning to unsettle the Margate defence with their pace and movement and David Lee was at the hub of some of their best moves.

A Fanibuyan cross from the left was misjudged by Chalmers-Stevens on 52 minutes but Jay Curran coming in at the far post couldn’t quite turn the ball home poking his effort into the side netting.

Chalmers Stevens then fumbled another ball into the area on 57 minutes but Curran could only fire the loose ball high into the stands.

A goal wasn’t long in arriving though and came a few minutes later. Curran broke free of the defender but was pulled down on the edge of the area by Danny Young. The referee judged Young to have been the last defender so showed no hesitation in showing him a red card.

David Lee stepped up to take the free kick and curled a fine effort into the bottom right hand corner of the net much to the delight of the travelling Canvey support.

Margate heads visibly went down and Canvey poured forward in the search of more goals.

A Lee corner from the right caused chaos in the penalty area and dropped to Kevin Dobinson at the far post. Chalmers-Stevens did well to block his effort from close range and scramble the ball to safety.

Canvey replaced Tarkan Mustafa and Fanibuyan with Ryan Oliva and Ian Luck but continued to carve out chances.

Curran fired a powerful effort from inside the area after good work by Lee that rattled the crossbar on 76 minutes but two minutes later the game was put beyond all doubt.

Dobinson made a surging run into the penalty area but was brought down crudely by Tom Hickman.
Dobinson stepped up to fire his penalty home into the bottom corner of the net.

Canvey put the icing on the cake with a fourth goal on 85 minutes. Luck did well to find space down the left and play the ball in for Jay Curran who bundled the ball home with the aid of a deflection.

There was still time for Wiseman to make a fine reaction save in injury time from a close range shot but Gulls were not be denied their second clean sheet in a row.

This was a fine performance by Canvey and they will be looking to continue the positive performances of the last two matches when local rivals Billericay Town come to Park Lane on Bank Holiday Monday for an eagerly awaited local derby.

Oysterfleet Man of the Match:

DAVID LEE: Scored a fine free kick and generally dominated the midfield.