Canvey Island 1-3 Bognor Regis Town

Match Report by David Powell

Canvey Island's recent struggles on the pitch continued, as they went down to a comprehensive 3-1 defeat to Bognor Regis Town at the Moviestarr Stadium.

In front of a crowd of 395, the Gulls were not at the races throughout, and were undone by a young and energetic Bognor side, who took their chances well when they arrived.

Canvey's recent of conceeding early goals reared it's ugly head again, as they fell behind after just 2 minutes.
A long ball forward found Jasper Mather, who capitalised on a defensive error to poke the ball past a stranded Sam Jackson to give the visitors the lead.

The Gulls responded well however, and their pressing play forward found them an equalising goal 10 minutes latee. Evans Kouassi was played into room 20 yards from goal, and he drilled a low shot into the back of the net, with the visiting keeper rooted to the floor.

The goal failed to have the galvanising effect they'd have hoped for however, and with no Bradley Sach in the side up front, they stuttered in front of goal.

This allowed Bognor to recompose, and they regained the lead on 17 minutes. Isaac Olaniyan picked the ball up on the corner of the penalty area with the Canvey defence backing off, and fired in a low shot that Jackson got his hands to but couldn't keep out.

Jackson had to be alert again to stop the lively Olaniyan on 37 minutes, before Bognor scored a third goal just before half time to kill the contest.

A good attacking move involving Olaniyan saw the ball worked into the penalty area for Matt Burgess, with the defender calmly stroking the ball past Jackson to give the visitors a 3-1 lead at the break.

Into the second half, and Canvey found their chances to get back into the game at a premium as the visitors shut up shop.
Kouassi thought he had got one back for Canvey on 65 minutes, but his shot agonisingly rippled the side netting after he broke clear of the Bognor defence.
Conor Hubble also fired a 20 yard shot wide, but failed to test visiting keeper Ryan Hall, who stayed calm throughout, though saw himself pick up a caution for time wasting from the refferee.

Down the other end, Jackson produced a great save to deny visiting striker Dan Gifford, with the forward clear on goal and looking go put gloss on the scoreline.

Canvey huffed and puffed, but found the visiting defence well drilled and eager to take the three points home, making the rest of the second half more of an exercise in discipline than a contest.

The Gulls
will now need to dust themselves down quickly, with a huge match on Bank Holiday Monday, as they make the short journey to Island rivals Concord Rangers for the sides first league meeting in over a decade.