Canvey Island 0-0 Hullbridge Sports (3-5 on Pens)
Young Gulls Impress Under The Lights
A youthful and inexperienced Canvey Island side drew 0-0 with fellow BetVictor Isthmian League North outfit Hullbridge Sports at Park Lane on Tuesday night in the Velocity Trophy Group 6.
With both teams earning a point, Hullbridge then won the subsequent penalty shootout to secure the additional point that was up for grabs.
Manager Mark Bentley made wholesale changes to the side that were beaten by Bury Town three days earlier.
Several of the Benfleet side were registered ahead of the match, with full debuts handed to Danny Confrey, Martyn Lacey, Azeez Alabi, Emmanuel Adelokunbo, Dan Humphreys, Enoch Gyimah and Samrai Gebrai.
The first chance of the evening came on 12 minutes when a Hullbridge corner to the back post found former-Canvey trialist Perry Dunn. However, the visiting captain steered his shot wide from close range, albeit at a tight angle.
Three minutes later, Canvey’s right winger Emmanuel Adelokunbo did well to beat two players cutting in from the touchline and pulling the trigger, forcing Hullbridge goalkeeper Lewis Greene into a smart save diving low to his left.
Adelokunbo had a similar chance on the half hour mark, this time beating one defender but shooting over the crossbar when well placed. Soon afterwards an attempted clearance from a Hullbridge defender was closed down by Dan Humphreys, with the ball hitting the target but being saved by the keeper.
Hullbridge forward Timothy Monsheju then had two good chances in quick succession. On 34 minutes he saw a low shot saved by Canvey keeper Danny Confrey who collected at the second attempt.
Moments later a low cross from the left by Luke Hornsley picked out Monsheju in the middle of the box, but stretching he was unable to guide his shot on target.
The visitors nearly took the lead on the stroke of half time when Emmanuel Okunja shot across goal from the right 20 yards out, but his effort whistled past the bottom corner.
Canvey came close themselves three minutes into the second half when striker Enoch Gyami shot from distance. The ball was heading in but was brilliantly tipped onto the roof of the net by Lewis Greene.
Zack Littlejohn nearly finished off a comedy of errors on 61 minutes when a Canvey corner was scuffed into the box. A Hullbridge defender missed his attempted clearance with the ball falling to Littlejohn who couldn’t believe his luck, but his shot was saved by Greene.
Both teams had chances in the final five minutes to win the match.
Firstly, on 84 minutes, a great ball across the area from the left by Samrai Gebrai found Sam Dulieu at the back post, but he thumped his shot high over the bar.
Soon afterwards Timothy Monsheju turned inside the box and found himself with only the keeper to beat at close range. However, Danny Confrey did well to position his legs correctly and save with his right boot.
The full time whistle ensured that both teams finished with a point, with the match then heading to penalties to determine who would pick up a second point.
Samuel Taylor gave Hullbridge the lead, but Sammy Knott then skied his spot kick to maintain the visitors’ advantage.
Monsheju, Sotoyinbo, and Salako all scored for Hullbridge with Mayhew, Humphreys and Gyimah doing the same for Canvey. Jamie Salmon was the man to take the final penalty for the Bridge, and he sent Danny Confrey the wrong way from the spot to win the shootout for his side.