Concord Rangers 1-3 Canvey Island

Match Report by David Powell
Photo Credit - Brad Marsh

Canvey Island defeated local rivals Concord Rangers for the first time in over a decade on Bank Holiday Monday, securing a comfortable 3-1 victory at Thames Road in the Isthmian League Premier.

In front of a bumper crowd of over 900, the Gulls were good value for their victory, producing a much improved display to recent outings, with more grit and organisation across the 90 minutes.

The game featured, amongst other things, a raft of players who'd played their trade on either end of the Island in their careers. In goal for the hosts was a Canvey fan in Mason Terry, signed on loan from West Ham United - though he got his fair share of banter from the Yellow Army behind his goal!

The game began with a typically tight derby feel, with both sides looking to dictate the rhythm of the match.
It was Canvey who's quality began to shine through however, getting into their stride as they moved the ball well around the pitch.

They brought the first save from the aforementioned Terry on 28 minutes, as Evans Kouassi first stung the hands of the young keeper. He made another good stop on 40 minutes, as he beat away a low skimming shot after Conor Hubble played Louis Arrowsmith into space down the left.

The game looked to be deadlocked going into half time, but the Gulls had other ideas as they took the lead.
Terry had done well to save initially from Kouassi as he broke through on goal, but he couldn't stop the Canvey winger from recycling the ball, tricking the home defence and floating in a well weighted cross from the left, straight into the path of Charlie Edwards, who sent a bullet header into the net to send the Canvey faithful behind the goal into raptures.

Into the second half and Canvey found their second goal within the first 15 minutes.

They started the half with the same intensity as the first, and on 52 minutes, a corner into the box caused chaos in the Concord area, with the ball heading goal bound but for an acrobatic Terry to claw the ball off the line.
He was powerless to stop Mason Hall however, as the Canvey defender judged the height of the ball perfectly and fired an overhead kick back at goal, nestling in the bottom corner of the net.

If the second goal had looked impressive, then the third had the Canvey faithful spellbound. It was Kouassi who turned provider yet again as he cut into the edge of the area. There he found Conor Hubble, laying the ball off for the midfielder, who looked up and sent a superb curling effort from 20 yards into the top corner, beating Terry and sealing the game for the Gulls.

They began to see out the game as they looked to shut up shop. However, the hosts were offered a lifeline on 82 minutes, when the referee spotted a foul in the area and awarded a penalty. Khale Da Costa stepped up and calmly stroked the spot kick home to reduce the arrears.

It proved merely a consolation though, with Canvey rarely tested in the remaining minutes of the game, the defence holding out well, despite Elliott Johnson having to be forced off the field with an injury, and Sam Jackson holding on to every ball launched into his area.

The full time whistle sounded after 6 minutes of injury time, seeing both squad and fans estastic as they took the local bragging rights.

Canvey's attention now turns to cup duties next week, with Isthmian League North side Lowestoft Town the visitors to the Moviestarr Stadium in the Emirates FA Cup.