Canvey Island 2-1 Folkestone Invicta

Match Report by Jonathan Andrews
Photo Credit - Nicky Hayes

Canvey Island made it three league wins from four on Tuesday evening as they beat Folkestone Invicta 2-1 at the Moviestarr Stadium.

On a night dictated by strong winds whipping the Island, it was the Gulls who managed the conditions better, and were good value for their win, with a goal in both halves helping them move up to within a fraction of the top 10.

Canvey had to battle the elements as well as their opponents in the first half, with a strong wind blowing at them, making it harder to clear their lines and launch any balls up field.
They managed the conditions well though, and some good passing football opened up the games first chance on 12 minutes. A ball threaded through from midfield was latched on to by Kai Brown, who broke past his marker and hit a shot from the edge of the area, but Joe Coleman in the visiting goal got a strong hand on it to turn it around the post.

At the other end of the pitch, Folkestone were looking to use the wind to their advantage, with balls down the channels finding Sanogo and Collins, meaning Crowhurst and Tinubu had to be on their guard at the back for Canvey to stop them cutting inside.
They had an early goal ruled out for a foul in the area, before an ex-Canvey name in Ade Cole almost levelled things up for the visitors, as his shot from the edge of the area got caught on a gale, beating Jackson but crashing off the post.

The Gulls weren't to be denied however, and their reward for a good start was the games opening goal on 28 minutes.
A corner whipped in from Conor Hubble found Bradley Sach at the back post, with the striker beating his marker and lashing his shot into the back of the net to get his 12th goal of the season.

Despite the Gulls having the better of the half however, the visitors would get the equaliser they sought just before half time.
In a rare moment in which the wind stopped blowing, a corner from Cole fell kindly into the box for Jake Goodman, who got a header away after a tussle in the box. Despite appeals from the Canvey defence for a foul, the referee upheld his decision for the goal.

Into the second half and the Gulls now had the wind in their favour, meaning it was the visitors struggling to move the ball forward at times - indeed, nearly all of Coleman's goal kicks either flew out of play or back to a yellow shirt after getting caught in a gust.

Brad Wellmen opted for an attacking change as he brought on Sam Higgins for Lance Akins. The striker began to make his presence felt as he troubled the home defence, and it was his powerful effort at goal that was instrumental in creating Canvey's second goal on 67 minutes.

After the shot was turned away for a corner, Hubble looked to use the wind to his advantage as he launched a ball into the area. It had the desired effect, with the wind assisted swing almost drifting straight in but for Coleman's intervention turning it onto the crossbar. Folkestone couldn't clear their lines however, and their scuffed ball away fell kindly to Charlie Edwards, who made no mistake as he riffled home to put Canvey back in front.

Folkestone looked to hit back but time and again, their attempts to move the ball forward were scuppered by the wind. When they did get the ball on the floor, they found the Canvey defence in good form to frustrate them.
The Gulls continued to seek a third and continued probing at the visitors backline, with Brown and Sach pulling the defenders apart, allowing Higgins to get a few chances away, though he found Coleman on hand to scoop up his attempts on target.

Arrowsmith and Munns were introduced late on to sure up the defence and hold on for the points. The visitors best chances to equalise came from set plays, with a pair or free kicks 10 minutes apart sent wide of Jackson's goal. With the wind unpredictable though, corners were always a threat, and they almost found an equaliser with the last action of the game. An in-swinging ball found it's way to Sanogo, but the winger could only direct his header on to the crossbar.

The full whistle sounded shortly after to secure another vital three points for Canvey in their push up the league.
They now begin a fortnight of huge fixtures against the league's promotion chasers, with a trip to Chatham Town first up on Saturday.