Canvey Island 0-0 Carshalton Athletic

Match Report by David Powell
Photo Credit - Nicky Hayes Photography

Canvey Island were held to a goalless draw by 10-man Carshalton Athletic on Saturday at the Moviestarr Stadium.

Despite the lack of goals, it proved to be an entertaining encounter between the two sides, with two impressive goalkeeping performances and two big calls from the officials being the moments to highlight.

The Gulls gave a home debut to Jimmy Wallace at the back, partnering the returning Rob Girdlestone, whilst Sam Higgins returned to the starting line up to partner Bradley Sach up front.

They made a bright start to the game, with Sach creating the games first chance in the 5th minute as he took the ball down on his chest and volleyed wide. Charlie Edwards came close a short time later as he caught visiting keeper Aaron Jones off his line, but his ambitious strike from the wing drifted into the side netting.

Down at the other end and a sharp Robins frontline led by the impressive Oluwabunmi Babajide kept the Canvey defence, and particularly Sam Jackson, on their toes as they broke forward. Canvey needed to scramble a ball into the box clear on 16 minutes as they searched for a clean sheet that had alluded them in the last two games.
Their interplay from wide into the box was threatening chances though and it took some impressive saves from Jackson to keep them out.

First, he denied Babajide as the striker found space in the box, but Jackson spread himself well to get something on his shot, taking the sting out of the effort before smothering the ball.

He then denied Kwaku Frimpong a short time later as the visitors broke with purpose, and another ball laid on a plate in the box saw the Carshalton midfielder denied by another big save to push the ball away.

On 30 minutes, he had to be alert again as Babajide curled in an impressive effort from the visitors left, but a flying save made sure to tip the ball around the far post.

At the other end, Canvey continued to drive forward but couldn't craft much of note, with a few scuffed efforts forcing corners or flying wide of the mark, meaning that the game was goalless at the break.

Into the second half and it was the Gulls who looked to press the issue early on, with Sach and Higgins asking plenty of questions of the home defence. The later of the two saw a fierce strike crash into the side netting on 58 minutes as he sought to continue his goalscoring exploits at home.

The Gulls were handed a slice of luck on 67 minutes though as the visitors were reduced to 10 men. As they broke towards the Canvey box, Bradley Williams went down, claiming a foul. The refferee adjudged him to have dived however and, having been booked already earlier on, he brandished a second yellow card to send the Robins man for an early shower.

The momentum swung in Canvey's favour with numerical advantage, but they found Aaron Jones in inspired form as the keeper kept them out on two occasions.

First on 75 minutes, he did well to keep out Sach, with the Canvey striker fed a ball into the box after good hold up play by Higgins, but Jones did well to keep his low drive from going in.

Then in the 79th minute, Higgins did well again to hold off his marker, turning to shoot but seeing Jones get down well to his right and turn the ball away for a corner.

Higgins in particular was in the mood for goals and he went close twice in the last 10 minutes. First, he got on the end of a good ball forward from Jamie Salmon, turning and firing a venomous shot that had Jones beaten but just crept agonisingly wide of the post. He then saw a header from a corner drift just wide of the post as it seemed like the ball just wouldn't go in for the Gulls.

Down at the other end the ten-man visitors, to their credit, never stopped attacking, with the in form Babajide hungry for a goal like his oposing counterparts. He would find Jackson his folly though as the Canvey shot-stopper pulled off two incredible saves late on to deny him.

First, Jackson showed great reactions to turn Babajide’s flicked effort from close range onto the crossbar. The visitors hit a strike just wide of the post shortly after before their final chance saw Babajide dance into the box again, only to see another strike superbly kept out by Jackson as the keeper got strong hands to his shot and turned it away from goal.

The final chance of the game would also garner the games most controversial call however as Canvey were denied a winner at the death.

Good work by Kai Brown on the wing saw him feed the ball to Sach in the box, with the Canvey striker showing great control and composure to twist past his markers and fire a good finish past Jones from close range as many in the ground thought he'd won the game.
The linesman had raised his flag however, adjudging Sach to be offside when the ball found him. After consultation with the refferee, the decision stood and the goal was ruled out, much to the frustration of the Canvey team on the pitch.

It meant that when the full time whistle blew shortly after, the game would finish goalless, as victory was snatched from the Gulls late on after a much improved performance, for which they were clapped off by the Canvey faithful for their efforts.

They now get a week to prepare for a double header against Lewes, with the Gulls first visiting the Dripping Pan on Saturday before the Rooks come to the Moviestarr Stadium the following Tuesday.