Canvey Island 3-2 Haringey Borough

Match Report by David Powell
Match Photo - Dan Goody

Canvey Island opened their Isthmian Premier League season with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Haringey Borough, coming back from 2 goals down in the last twenty minutes to claim all three points at the Moviestarr Stadium.

The visitors raced into a 2-0 lead after just 10 minutes, and it looked like a misfiring Gulls would be heading home with nothing, until a sensational turnaround saw them snatch victory on the opening day of the season.

It was almost the perfect start for Canvey however as Evans Kouassi found space in the box, but hit the post with a powerful strike on 2 minutes. They'd rue that miss a few minutes later as Haringey took the lead from the penalty spot. Sam Mvemba was adjudged to have handled a left wing cross in the penalty area, and Matthew Young stepped up to slot his kick past Sam Jackson and into the corner of the net.

The lead was doubled just 5 minutes later, when good build up play saw Kasim Aidoo was allowed the space he needed to fire an angled drive past Jackson, with the Gulls defence at a loss.

They were spurred to react and find a way back into the game. Dillon Barnes in the visiting goal made a pair of smart saves, first to keep out Bradley Sach’s floated header, and then to deflect a shot from long range by Lordan Akolbire, who was making his Gulls debut at right back.

Down at the other end, Jackson still had to be alert to keep out a 20 yard drive from Arthur Lontton, as Haringey looked for a third goal to kill the contest.

Into the second half and Babalola and Aidoo could have sealed the game for Borough, but lifted their respective chances over the bar from close range.

Canvey were struggling break down a stubborn Haringey defence as the game approached its final 20 minutes, but they found their lifeline through a set play.

Connor Hubble’s free kick from the left was inch perfect for Mason Hall, who got his head to the ball and sent a well placed header past Barnes to reduce the deficit.

He was the hero down at the other end moments later as he made a great last gasp tackle to deny Haringey a third. It would prove to be the boost they needed as Canvey grabbed an equaliser on 78 minutes.

Another chance from a set play saw Louie Arrowsmith’s corner from the right fall perfectly for Sach, who swept home from inside the six yard area to level the scores.

Suddenly it was Canvey in the ascendancy and their resilience paid off as they sealed a remarkable comeback on 85 minutes.

Conor Hubble snuffed out a Haringey attack near the dugouts and swung around to find Evans Kouassi, the Gulls talisman showing great tenacity to hold off a couple of defenders in the penalty area before firing a well placed shot into the net, sending the Canvey fans into raptures.

There was still late drama in the 95th minute, when Jackson had to make a superb reaction save to turn aside a goal bound header, with the loose ball being fired wide of the target.

Canvey held out to seal a superb three points that shows they’ve lost none of their battling qualities and spirit from last season. They'll need to quickly recover and show that same resolve as they travel to Dulwich Hamlet on Tuesday evening.