Canvey Island 1-1 Bowers & Pitsea

Canvey Island’s Emirates FA Cup journey will continue on Tuesday night with yet another replay, this time after a 1-1 draw against BetVictor Isthmian League Premier side Bowers & Pitsea at Park Lane.

This will be the third consecutive round in which The Gulls took the tie to a replay, having previously overcome Waltham Abbey and St Ives Town in the earlier stages of the competition.

Manager Mark Bentley made four changes from the side that beat Welwyn Garden City in the Buildbase FA Trophy a week earlier. Ade Osifuwa replaced Sam Dulieu at left back, while Josh Hutchinson came back in on the left wing in place of the cup-tied Samrai Gebrai.

Jason Hallett being away meant that Tobi Joseph partnered George Purcell in attach, with Joseph’s place on the right wing taken by Kane Gilbert. There was also a return to the starting XI for central midfielder and captain James White who overcame a knee injury, with Rob Lacey to man to drop to the bench.

Bowers started the stronger of the two teams and created two good chances in the opening ten minutes.

In the eighth minute Lewis Manor picked up the ball to the right of goal and shot from 20 yards. The ball looked to be arrowing towards the top corner but instead hit the apex of the frame of the goal.

Soon afterwards former-Canvey striker David Knight pulled the trigger from a similar distance on the opposite side of the pitch. The ball flew through a crowd of players, forcing goalkeeper Lamar Johnson into a superb save diving full to his left.

The Gulls settled into the match after surviving these early scares, starting to see more of the ball but without being able to work Bowers goalkeeper Callum Chafer.

Some excellent defending from Ade Osifuwa denied Brad Warner what would have been a tap in on 34 minutes. An accurate cross from the left in between goalkeeper and defence was played in, but Osifuwa came from out of nowhere to lunge in and clear the ball just before it reached Warner inside the six-yard box.

The visitors hit the woodwork for the second time on the stroke of half time when a corner found Lewis Manor who rose unopposed, but his header towards goal came back off the crossbar.

Canvey had their first shot on target on 49 minutes when George Purcell shot high towards the corner from a tight angle with his unfavoured right-foot. Purcell did well to direct his effort towards the top corner, but Callum Chafer was well placed to pluck it out of the air.

The ball was immediately up the other end with Brad Warner who shot from an even tighter angle from the left, with his effort striking the top of the post for what was by now becoming somewhat of a theme for the afternoon.

Canvey were far more of an attacking force in the second half and nearly scored on 52 minutes. A good advantage from the referee allowed Canvey to break on the counter attack, with Josh Hutchinson’s low shot from the left saved by the legs of Callum Chafer.

Four minutes later a great cross from the left by Hutchinson was delivered into the perfect area, but Max Cornhill managed to clear the danger with a tremendous diving header.

On 67 minutes George Purcell saw a shot blocked, with the rebound sitting up perfectly for Albert Levett to strike. However, the midfielder sent his shot across goal and wide of the top corner after opening up his body too much.

A minute later Bowers got their noses in front when Brad Warner dribbled into the box and beat Lamar Johnson at his near post with a low shot from the left.

The Gulls were only behind for three minutes. A positive run infield from the left by Josh Hutchinson saw the winger cut the ball back for captain James White. The midfielder was unmarked and drove a low shot through a crowd of players and in to score his first goal of the season.

Tobi Joseph then came close to putting Canvey ahead with ten minutes remaining, receiving the ball from the left with his back to goal on the corner of the six-yard box. Joseph managed to turn and shoot, but his effort went into the side netting.

The visitors had two good chances to win the tie in the closing stages. On 84 minutes Lamar Johnson did well to save from Joe Gardner after he had struck a low shot from 25 yards, diving down to his right to turn the ball wide for a corner.

The final action of the match saw David Knight delivered a cross from the right which Quentin Monville met with a diving header, but Lamar Johnson was on hand once again, this time to save at the front post.

Photo: KJA Sports Images