Billericay Town 0-1 Canvey Island

Match Report by Jonathan Andrews
Photo Credit - Dan Goody

Canvey Island made it back to back wins in the league for the first time this season, as they overcame local rivals Billericay Town on Tuesday night, leaving the New Lodge with a 1-0 win.

In a tightly contested South Essex Derby, the Gulls won the local bragging rights in the 92nd minute, with substitute Elliott Ronto getting the only goal of the game to secure a huge three points on the road.

The Gulls were not without their chances in an entertaining match, though had to survive an onslaught at times from their promotion chasing hosts. They found the Canvey defence in battling form however - and keeper Sam Jackson helped earn them their first clean sheet of the season with a stellar performance between the sticks.

Brad Wellmen named an unchanged side from the last league victory, with the previously injured Jamie Salmon returning to the bench.
They'd had more time to recuperate than their hosts, the Blues coming into the game off the back of FA Cup success at the weekend. Despite being a few injuries short, they still named a strong side full of talent - with former Canvey striker Frankie Merrifield leading the line.

The Gulls started the game with a quick tempo, asking questions of the hosts defence in the opening 15 minutes.

Jaden Crowhurst had the first chance of the evening with just 60 seconds played, the right back's shot drifting just wide of the target after a rapid start.

A front three of Kouassi, Deslandes and Sach lead the line, with the later industrious in his work rate all evening. It was his deft flick into a dangerous area that gifted the Gulls the next chance of note, with Luke Deslandes picking up the pass and testing Wilks in the home goal with a strike from close range after 12 minutes.

Billericay looked sharp on the break however, with the pace of Asamoah, Azeez and Stevenson asking testing the Canvey defence. They hit their first chance after 18 minutes, with Sam Jackson having to be certain in his save to deny the aforementioned Stevenson the opener, after a curling effort.

Eight minutes later, they then crashed an effort against the crossbar, with the rebound being put wide by Merrifield - luck on the Gulls side this time.

The rhythm of the game would flip as the half went on, with the hosts controlling the majority of possession but wasting their chances, with Canvey finding their chances limited to breaking from defence.
Charlie Edwards had two of these for the Gulls as time drew on, with a glancing header in the box drifting just wide of the far post, before he hit a low shot at goal on 35 minutes, that Wilks was able to scoop up.

Meanwhile, the hosts were continuing to bombard the Canvey defence, though Hall and Girdlestone marshalled well in their own area, with Arrowsmith and Crowhurst helping to carry the ball to safety and counter.

When space did emerge though, Jackson had to be alert in his goal, and proved up to the challenge just before half time with a stunning double save to first deny Stevenson, then Azzez, to keep the game goalless.

Into the second half and the Gulls had to survive a strong opening 15 minutes from the hosts, the Blues enjoying a lot of possession but failing to break down the Canvey defence - their chances struck or deflected wide of the mark for the most part.
The best of those chances was a swift counter on 60 minutes, with the home attack breaking with purpose, but again frustrated by the impressive Sam Jackson, as he made another big save.

Canvey remained in the game however, with their best sources of attack coming from Crowhurst breaks on the right, well held up balls from Sach on the left, and Kouassi causing chaos across the final third of the home defence.

He had the first Canvey chance of the second half of 56 minutes as he drove at the Blues rearguard, but saw Wilks equal to his strike.
Then, it was Mason Hall's chance to go close on 63 minutes, as he forced a save from the keeper at the back post with a powerful header from a corner.

Elliott Ronto and Joe Paxman were introduced midway through the half, and Canvey's persistence saw them create chances to win the match.
On 80 minutes, Hall went close with a header again, but saw his effort cleared away from danger. Then on 84 minutes, Kouassi broke forward and held off his markers as he stared down Wilks in the home goal, but the keeper made himself big and produced the save to keep the contest level.

It looked like the game was heading for a goalless draw, but as the fourth official signalled for five minutes of added time, the Gulls took their chance.

After another bout of defending following a Cerulli free kick late in the game, Canvey once again broke forward. Good work on the left flank released Kouassi into space, and he beat his markers to the byline to whip in the assist he'd been craving all evening.
It dropped perfectly into space for Elliott Ronto in the box, the midfielder hitting his shot hard into the ground to give it the bounce needed to deceive the keeper and win the game for Canvey, sending the travelling Yellow Army into a frenzy behind the goal.

It allowed them to see out the rest of the game with the same resolute defending they'd shown all match, with the refferee blowing up for time three minute later to secure Canvey's first win at Billericay Town since 2015.

The result moves the Gulls up to 12th in the league now ahead of a busy weekend. First up, they travel to Southern League side Walton & Hersham in the FA Trophy on Saturday, before another league trip to South London on Monday evening to play Carshalton Athletic.