Match Report

Canvey Island overcame a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2 against Tonbridge Angels in an exhilarating game at Park Lane.

The Gulls were 2-0 down after 40 minutes but fought back bravely to snatch all three points thanks to a superb free kick by David Lee deep into injury time.

Canvey also had to contend with being down to ten men for the last 25 minutes after Richard Halle was sent off for an off the ball incident but showed immense spirit to overcome this and grab a dramatic victory that at one stage looked implausible.

The game started at a frenetic pace with both sides creating chances within the first 15 minutes.
After 2 minutes, Leon Gordon found space on the right hand side of the penalty area but fired his shot high over the bar.

Tonbridge responded with an attack of their own a minute later when Kirk Watts found space in the penalty area but saw his effort deflected wide for a corner. The resulting set piece was headed just off target as the Tonbridge attack made a lively start to the game.

Gabriel Fanibuyan up until tonight’s game had, had a fairly disappointing start to the season but he showed great skill down the left to burst past a defender and cut the ball back to Lee who fired in a shot from close range that keeper Lee Worgan managed to punch away at his near post.

Tonbridge though were looking dangerous on the counter attack and winger John Westcott was finding plenty of room on the right wing.

On 13 minutes he broke down the right and sent in a fine cross that Jamie Cade headed wide at the far post from close range.

Canvey responded two minutes later with Fanibuyan again causing havoc down the left wing. His fine run and cross was only partially cleared and the ball fell to Lee who poked his effort from six yards out inches wide of the far post.

It looked a costly miss moments later when Tonbridge were gifted the opening goal. Goalkeeper Ricky Wiseman completely miskicked a Craig Davidson back pass and Cade ran on to tap home into the empty net for one of the easiest goals he is ever likely to score.

Canvey were stunned and it looked like they had conceded again on 27 minutes but this time the linesman’s flag saved them and the effort was disallowed for offside after another swift counter attack had cut through the Gulls’ backline.

Canvey finally re-woke from their slumber and Jay Curran did well to turn on the edge of the box on 30 minutes and fire in a powerful effort that took a slight deflection as it narrowly cleared the crossbar.

An enthralling game continued to ebb and flow with Angels creating an opportunity three minutes later when Carl Rook broke through down the left side of the penalty area. Wiseman did well to block his shot and then race across his goal to fall gratefully upon the rebound.

A minute later and it was Canvey back on the attack again. Fanibuyan again showed his skill to find space in a tight situation and fire in a shot from the edge of the area that Worgan couldn’t hold on to.
The loose ball fell to Gordon but he couldn’t get the ball past the Angels’ keeper from a tight angle.

Canvey were giving the Tonbridge wingers far too much space at times and Westcott again found himself in space down the right on 37 minutes. Wiseman saved his first effort well with his feet but the loose ball came back to the winger who turned inside the defender and fired in another shot from inside the area that Wiseman did well to save at his near post at the expense of a corner.

Despite the height of Chris Moore and Ben Patten, Canvey’s rearguard was struggling with long balls into their penalty area at times and on 38 minutes it was a deep ball down the right flank that proved the Gulls’ undoing.

It was Carl Rook who got on the end of this long pass and as Wiseman rushed from his goal to narrow the angle, Rook expertly lobbed the keeper from outside the area and watched as the ball dropped into the unguarded net to give Tonbridge a commanding 2-0 lead.

Despite their defensive frailties though, The Gulls always looked lively in attack and created plenty of chances. Lead by Fanibuyan, they rolled their sleeves up and continued to attack the Tonbridge goal.

They scored a crucial goal right on the stroke of half time to reduce the arrears. Lee sent in a perfect free kick from the left that Halle got to just before Worgan to flick home a header from a yard out.
This goal was scored at the perfect time as it reinvigorated Canvey and gave them renewed hope for the second half.

Spectators had only just retaken their positions on the terraces after the half time break when Canvey were awarded a penalty after Fanibuyan’s run in the box was halted by a defender.

Davidson stepped up to smash his penalty confidently into the top right hand corner of the net.

Canvey were level and were now by far and away the dominant side. Halle saw a swirling free kick from range turned around the post by Worgan on 50 minutes and then ten minutes later Curran couldn’t quite get on the end of an excellent cross by Gordon from the right. Lee nearly repeated the trick seconds later but his driven cross from the right somehow eluded everybody in the box.

The game though could have turned on 65 minutes when Halle was harshly sent off after the referee had judged that he had kicked out at Tonbridge captain Anthony Storey in an off the ball incident.

Canvey had to reorganise as a result and they took off Jon Edwards who enjoyed an encouraging debut and replaced him with Ryan Oliva.

Sensing a possible victory, Tonbridge tried to use the extra man to their advantage but despite a few flurries, they couldn’t get past a Canvey defence with Tarkan Mustafa in particular having a solid match.

It was Canvey in fact who were still creating the better chances. On 76 minutes, Jay Curran chased a long pass with the defender and fired a speculative shot from outside the area that rippled the side netting.

The hard working Curran was replaced by Ian Luck with 7 minutes to go and Luck’s pace was to prove influential in winning the game.

Tonbridge brought on some fresh legs and as the game neared its’ conclusion with Canvey legs starting to tire, they started to enjoy a spell of possession and pressure.

The Canvey defence though held firm and were only really threatened when Wiseman was safely able to watch an effort from Tommy Tyne dribble wide of the post on 85 minutes.

The game looked set to end in a draw until deep into injury time, Luck chased a long pass by Davidson with the defender. His pace was looking to take him ahead of Tim Oldrunda but the defender made a crude tackle to stop Luck on the edge of the area and give Canvey a free kick. Luck was forced off as a result of this tackle to be replaced by Steve Corbell.

David Lee had already scored free kicks against Margate and Billericay from a similar range and he stepped up to curl this set piece from the left hand edge of the penalty area around the defensive wall and into the bottom right hand corner of the net to spark celebrations on the Canvey bench and amongst the home support.

The whistle blew soon after to end a dramatic contest and seal a Canvey victory that seemed highly unlikely after 40 minutes. Whilst some of the defending in the first half was a cause for concern, Canvey once again demonstrated an admirable fighting spirit especially when down to ten men for the closing stages of the game.

Canvey move up to seventh place in the division and will look to continue their positive start to the season with victory over Hendon at Park Lane on Saturday.

Oysterfleet Man of the Match:

GABRIEL FANIBUYAN: Back to his brilliant best down the left wing. The Tonbridge defence couldn’t cope with his pace and trickery.

Match Report by David Powell