Match Report

A free kick from David Lee, three minutes into stoppage time saw Canvey Island snatch a 3-2 victory over Wealdstone at Grosvenor Vale.

Wealdstone will certainly feel aggrieved that they didn’t come away from this game with at least a point. They were the better team on the night and at times put the Gulls’ defence under some considerable pressure.

Canvey have demonstrated in recent weeks that they can take points without playing particularly well and for long periods of this game, they were not at their best.

The Gulls though have showed admirable spirit so far this season and once again battled well to come from behind twice to steal the match at the end.

Wealdstone started brightly, with both of their forwards looking lively and Graeme Montgomery in particular on the left wing impressing.

The talented winger who has been watched by several Football League clubs and recently had trials with Yeovil Town had the first shooting opportunity of the game, firing well wide from outside the penalty area after a half cleared corner fell to him.

On 5 minutes, Wealdstone were ahead. Canvey keeper Mel Capleton misjudged a left wing cross allowing it to drift over his head and Gavin James was there to tap home into an empty net from a few yards out.

On a wet slippery surface, Wealdstone played some good football at times and both wingers caused Canvey fullbacks Tarkan Mustafa and Andrew West plenty of problems.

Canvey though gradually settled with Jay Curran working hard up front. Leon Gordon was unlucky not to get on the score sheet on 11 minutes when he got on the end of Steve Corbell’s left wing cross. His downward header from inside the area appeared to be going into the bottom corner but Wealdstone keeper Luke Woods dived to his right to parry the ball away to safety.

Wealdstone continue to look dangerous on the break and only some sharp defending by Ben Patten and Chris Moore at times kept them at bay.

The pace of James, Montgomery and Kieron Forbes on the right was proving to be a real handful for the Gulls’ rearguard but Canvey were by now starting to create some pressure on the Wealdstone goal.

They won a string of corners before Jay Curran equalised thanks to a real stroke of luck on 26 minutes.

Curran twisted and turned in the area and managed to find the space to get a shot in. It looked as if Woods had his shot covered but on the wet surface he allowed the ball to slip through his hands and through his legs and into the net.

Canvey unfortunately were not level for long as three minutes later James was pulled down in the penalty area by Capleton as he raced on to a long ball. The referee gave a penalty and showed Capleton a yellow card. James stepped up to slot his penalty into the bottom corner of the net.

Canvey rolled their sleeves up though and continued to probe the Wealdstone defence.

Just before half time they grabbed an equaliser with another set piece causing the Stones’ defence problems. A left wing corner was punched away by Woods but straight to Curran who from inside the area was able to turn and fire home into the bottom corner of the net via the aid of a deflection.

If Wealdstone edged the first half, they thoroughly dominated the second half with Canvey rarely getting near the Wealdstone goal.

Despite their pressure, Canvey defended well and Patten, Moore and West were often there to clear the danger and make last ditch challenges.

Wealdstone suffered an injury blow when Chris O’ Leary was taken off but continued to look the better side. Moore had to scramble the ball off of the line on 53 minutes after James found space on the left hand side of the area and managed to push the ball past Capleton.

It was Canvey’s turn to pick up an injury on 68 minutes when Capleton was accidentally caught by the forward as he attempted to cut out a cross from the left. The veteran goalkeeper was forced off with a suspected hand injury with Ricky Wiseman coming on to replace him between the sticks.

Montgomery attempted to test Wiseman immediately but his fizzing shot from wide on the left went well wide of the goal.

On 74 minutes, Canvey took off Leon Antoine and replaced him with Craig Davidson. This substitution stiffened the Canvey midfield but left Curran up front on his own for the final 15 minutes.

Wiseman was tested on 80 minutes when he had to help a volley over the bar one handed and as the game neared its’ conclusion, it was Wealdstone who looked the more likely to nick a winner.

Patten was booked for a clumsy challenge on 86 minutes and then Wiseman did well to dive to his left to get down and hold a shot as injury time approached.

It was Canvey who had the final word though deep into stoppage time.

Curran won a free kick around 25 to 30 yards from goal and slightly right of centre. Lee’s free kick drifted into the area and eluded everybody in the box, wrong footing goalkeeper Woods as it dropped into the net. The keeper had seemingly been distracted by the off the ball runs of several Canvey players as they attempted to reach the ball.

The final whistle blew soon after to seal a real ‘smash and grab’ victory for Canvey and take them up to fifth place in the league.

The score line was somewhat harsh on Wealdstone and certainly they looked a far better team than their lowly league position suggests.

Once again Canvey battled to victory and proved they won’t be an easy side to beat.

The Gulls take a break from league action as they face a tricky trip to Southern League Premier side Cambridge City in the FA Trophy this weekend.

Oysterfleet Man of the Match:

JAY CURRAN:  Two more goals took his season’s tally up to 7. Worked hard and was a constant irritation to the Wealdstone defence.

Match Report by David Powell.