Enfield Town 3-0 Canvey Island

Match Report by David Powell

Canvey Island fell to a 3-0 defeat away at Enfield Town on Saturday as they returned to Isthmian League action.

After not playing a competitive match for over two weeks, Canvey's lack of proper match fitness showed, as they came unstuck against a good Towners team currently battling for promotion.

It took just a minute for the hosts to take the lead, as clumsy defending at the back from the Gulls allowed Sam Youngs to bundle home from close range for the opener.

It took time for Canvey to settle, but when they did, they looked to play neat football and ask a few questions of the home defence.

Charlie Edwards first forced keeper Rhys Forster to push his header clear of goal, before Conor Hubble got on the end of a cross from the left, but headed inches wide of the far post.

Jack Munns, making his debut for Canvey, nearly provided a perfect chance for Bradley Sach, the striker collecting the pass, but saw a defender able to get across well and block his shot.

Unfortunately for Canvey, it allowed Enfield to counter and increase their lead on 33 minutes, with the defence once again unable to clear their lines, gifting the clinical Youngs the chance to grab his second, as he finished past Sam Jackson.

Towards the end of the half, Sach thought he had pulled a goal back for Canvey when he headed home from close range, but the linesman ruled the goal out for what seemed like close offside call.

Into the second half, and although Canvey seemed to start with purpose, the ever threatening hosts killed off the game on the counter after 50 minutes.

Just after Luke Deslandes had forced Forster into a save at his near post, Oliver Knight's pass broke free to Marcus Wylie, the winger charging down his left flank and calmly stroked his cross into the box, with Reece Beckles-Richards free to slot home from close range and make it three for the hosts.

The game was good as over as a contest, with Canvey offering little coming forward and second best to much of the ball, whilst Enfield were wasteful of spurning a few chances, with the shots they had going straight over Jackson's crossbar.

Substitute Luca Albon perhaps had the best chance, as he tested Forster with a curling free kick late in the game, but the game was as a good as done by the time the refferee blew her full time whistle.

It was an afternoon to forget for the Gulls, who'll need to gather themselves quickly as a bust November continues - Lewes next up at the Moviestarr Stadium on Tuesday.