Welwyn Garden City 1-4 Canvey Island
Strikeforce On Target For Trophy Success
Canvey Island secured more cup success on Saturday, beating BetVictor Southern League Central high-flyers Welwyn Garden City 4-1 away in the Buildbase FA Trophy Extra Preliminary Round.
With injuries and fatigue setting in, manager Mark Bentley made four changes from the side that won in extra time against St Ives Town in the Emirates FA Cup on Tuesday evening.
James White missed out altogether with a knee injury, while Ade Osifuwa, Kane Gilbert and Josh Hutchinson all dropped to the bench. Sam Dulieu came in at left back, Rob Lacey in central midfield and Samrai Gebrai on the left wing after returning from being cup-tied in the FA Cup.
Canvey took the lead on 19 minutes when Jason Hallett was tripped in the box. George Purcell stepped up and made no mistake from the penalty spot to put his side ahead.
It was 2-0 on the stroke of half time when a ball down the right wing drew Citizens' goalkeeper Charlie Jones off his line. Jason Hallett got to the ball before the keeper and lobbed it over him and into the inside side netting to double the advantage.
Hallett was involved again on 51 minutes when his effort hit the post and bounced down onto the line where George Purcell was in the right place at the right time to tap home his second and Canvey's third.
The hosts reduced the arrears on 58 minutes when their most impressive player, Callum Stead, got in behind the Canvey defence and shot across goal and in via the inside of the post.
However, any hopes of a comeback were put to rest on 76 minutes when Jason Hallett scored his second of the afternoon. A cross from the right by Mike Finneran was miskicked by a defender which presented the forward with the perfect change to fire home one-on-one.
The match as a whole was an open affair in which both sides had plenty of chances, but Canvey's clinical forward line ultimately proved to be the difference. The Gulls will now head to BetVictor Isthmian League South Central strugglers Ashford Town (Middx) in the Preliminary Round on Saturday 12th October.