Canvey Island 4-1 Hornchurch

Match Report by David Powell

Canvey Island were back to their best on Tuesday evening, as they notched an impressive 4-1 win against league champions Hornchurch at the Moviestarr Stadium.

In front of a decent Tuesday night crowd of 408, the Gulls terrorised their opponents from the get go and were sharp in front of goal, leaving their visitors with little in the way of reply as the game went on.

Despite a busy period of 3 games in 5 days, Brad Wellmen named a strong starting lineup, with former Urchins man Sam Higgins leading the line upfront with Bradley Sach. The visitors, though without a few key strikers, still fielded a strong lineup as they looked to hit the 100 point mark before their departure for the National League South.

It was Canvey though, who came flying out the traps, and began to create chances as they troubled the visitors rearguard. Tobi Tinubu made the right flank his own all evening, and opened the chances as he struck an effort from range that Urchins keeper Dion Curtis-Henry had to be prepared for.
On 20 minutes, they really should have been ahead. A well worked pass by Jamie Salmon sent Emmanuel Adebiyi through on goal, with the midfielder holding off his marker and chipping a ball over the onrushing Curtis-Henry on the edge of the box - only to see his effort drift just wide of the near post.

Hornchurch still looked dangerous when they broke forward however, with the Canvey defence needing to be at their best to keep them at bay. Thomas Avgoustidis spurned a big chance to put the visitors ahead as he broke into the box, but Sam Jackson was ready to spread himself in front of the effort to turn the ball behind at the near post.

The momentum was with Canvey however, and they deservedly took the lead on 24 minutes.
Conor Hubble whipped a ball into the box from a corner, where Bradley Sach was waiting to rise above his marker and header the ball home to put Canvey a goal up.

The goal spurred the visitors in action, and they enjoyed a strong spell of pressure as they looked to force an equaliser.
Former Watford and Aberdeen defender Tommie Hoban got himself on the end of a powerful header from an Ollie Muldoon free kick, but was denied by a brilliant reaction save from Jackson, who got down in time to parry the ball away.

There was little the Canvey shotstopper could do to deny the Urchins man on 37 minutes however, as he was gifted space around 25 yards from goal, and smashed a powerful effort into the top corner to level the scoring before the break.

This didn't deflate the Gulls as in recent weeks however, and when the second half began, an impressive opening 20 minutes saw them put their opponents to the sword.

They asked plenty of questions of the visitors defence, and forced the set plays they needed to keep piling on the pressure. From one of these set plays, they took the lead.
Adebiyi was tasked with delivering a ball into the area from out to the left. The midfielder took his free kick well, and jostling in the box meant is deceived both defence and keeper as it drifted into the far corner, giving the midfielder his first ever goal in a Canvey shirt - he'll certainly claim he meant it!

It got even better on 63 minutes as Canvey grabbed a third. Substitute Louis Arrowsmith used his pace to burst into the penalty area from the left flank, and was fouled as he bore down on goal, with the refferee awarding a penalty.
Conor Hubble took the responsibility, and he made no mistake as he buried the spot kick to give Canvey a two goal cushion.

Many in the ground were still flabbergasted when the Gulls rounded off the scoring six minutes later.
More good work down the channels saw the ball break loose in the box, where Sam Higgins was waiting. The proflic striker made no mistake as he hammered an effort at Curtis-Henry, with a slight deflection taking it past the keeper to give Higgins a goal against his former club.

The visitors were stunned and could offer little in the way of a response bar a few efforts scuffed wide of goal. It could have gotten even worse for them as Brad Wellmen introduced the duo of Evans and Reon Smith-Kouassi, who began to torment the champions defence even further.

They produced two big chances late on to further the scoring. First, great work from Evans on the left saw him dink a ball into Reon in space in the box, but the young striker couldn't get the ball under control in time before the Hornchurch defence smuggled it away.
It was then Evans turn to strike at goal shortly after, with the winger finding space to shoot on the edge of the area, but saw his low drive drift just wide of the far post.

The refferee blew for full time now long after to mark an impressive win for Canvey - their first on home soil since February 10th, and a huge confidence boost as they recaptured a glimmer of the form that saw them take the league by storm last season.

They'll need to keep that adrenaline flowing however, with two more games to play this week - starting with a trip to Potters Bar Town tomorrow evening.