Match Report

Canvey Island’s Ryman Premier League match against Margate was abandoned after 83 minutes following a power failure. Margate were already 4-0 ahead going into the closing stages of the game, when a power cut that affected much of the local area plunged the ground into darkness.

The Ryman League will now have to make a decision on whether the result stands or if the game has to be replayed although it’s likely they will confirm that Margate take the points.

The game was played in atrocious weather with heavy rain and a strong gale force wind making playing conditions extremely difficult for both sides.

Margate though seemed to adapt better to the conditions and deserved their victory over a Gulls’ side who were extremely disappointing for the majority of the match.

Margate had the wind to their advantage during the first half meaning Canvey at times struggled to get out of their own half. Ricky Wiseman had real difficulty in getting his goal-kicks over the halfway line as the wind caused absolute havoc at times.

To their credit, Canvey battled well in the opening 30 minutes with Jay Curran working hard up front and both Gabriel Fanibuyan and Leon Gordon a threat on occasions down the flanks.

They struggled though to really test Pat Mullin in the Margate goal and it was the Kent side who unsurprisingly created the better opportunities.

Wayne Wilson fired wide from 30 yards on 21 minutes and then Dan Young saw a looping header crash off of the crossbar after getting on the end of Wilson’s right wing corner.

On 32 minutes, Margate were reduced to ten men when Young was shown a second yellow card for a reckless challenge on Fanibuyan.

Despite being a man down, this seemed to galvanise Margate.

Kevin Dobinson fired a low driven free kick from 20 yards just wide of the post on 37 minutes but Margate were by now looking likely to open the scoring.

A slip by Richard Halle allowed Kenny Pratt to burst through on goal on 40 minutes but Wiseman spread himself superbly to save the effort and deflect it away to safety.

Margate took the lead on 44 minutes. Aaron Lacy picked the ball up wide on the right and his curling cross into the six yard box caught on the wind and swerved past Wiseman and into the top corner of the net.

Worse was to follow for Canvey moments later when Margate increased their advantage. Wiseman was forced into an athletic save to tip away Wilson’s speculative shot from 30 yards but from the resulting left wing corner, Pratt was left unmarked to poke home the ball at the near post.

Canvey were 2-0 down at half time but did have the wind to their advantage in the second half.

They replaced Jon Edwards with Leon Antoine at half time and Antoine’s physical precense started to provide a real threat to the Margate defence.

Some good work by Dobinson down the right on 52 minutes saw Chris Moore try a clever back heel from close range but his effort was straight at Mullin.

Craig Davidson tried his best to get Canvey moving and a fine cross picked out Curran in the area but his header sailed wide of the target.

Stuart Ainsley tried his luck with a 30 yard shot that drifted over the bar and then moments later, Curran came close to connecting with Tarkan Mustafa’s low driven cross from the right as Canvey tried desperately to get a foothold in the game.

Margate though seemed to be handling the conditions better than Canvey and always looked a threat on the counter attack. They all but sealed the game on 72 minutes when Ryan Peters was blocked in the penalty area by Moore. The referee gave a penalty and up stepped Peters to send Wiseman the wrong way and strike a firm low shot into the bottom corner of the net.

Canvey sent on Ian Luck for Moore but by now it was far too late for them to salvage anything from the game.

Halle tested Mullin with a fierce low drive from around 25 yards that the keeper did well to scramble around his post for a corner on 76 minutes but Margate completed the night’s scoring with a fourth goal a few minutes later.

Some good work by Wilson and Peters saw Peters fouled on the edge of the penalty area. Wilson stepped up to fire a low free kick that took a slight deflection as it flew past Wiseman and into the net.

That was game over but as the match drifted towards its’ conclusion a power failure plunged the ground and the local area into darkness giving the referee no option but to abandon the game.

The Ryman League will decide upon the outcome of the match.

Canvey will attempt to bounce back from this horrendous display with a victory on Saturday over Wealdstone at Park Lane.

Oysterfleet Man of the Match:

CRAIG DAVIDSON: Tried hard to get his side back into the game, putting the ball into the right areas regularly.

Match Report by David Powell.