Grays Athletic 2-1 Canvey Island

Despite playing against a team with ten men and an outfield player in goal for over 80 minutes, Canvey Island were knocked out of the BBC Essex Senior Cup at the 4th round stage at Parkside on Wednesday night.

There were a number of familiar faces in both squads, with several players having represented the two clubs over the years.

Grays included left back Ashley Miller and forward George Purcell in their starting XI, with Nathan Fox and Tony Stokes on the bench. Canvey meanwhile started with goalkeeper Lamar Johnson and defender Michael Finneran, both of whom represented the Blues in the past along with manager Mark Bentley.

Bentley made three changes from the side that beat Heybridge Swifts on Saturday. Jason Hallett and Ryan Melaugh were both carrying knocks and were replaced by Kane Gilbert and Tobi Joseph. Alex Stephenson meanwhile made way for Michael Finneran who returned from suspension.

After a quiet opening to the match, the hosts were reduced to ten men in the eighth minute when goalkeeper Danny Sambridge was shown a straight red card. A ball down the left saw Sam Bantick and Tobi Joseph give chase, although Bantick soon out the brakes on realising he was offside.

The Grays defence had stopped with him and not switched on to the danger that Joseph represented, forcing Sambridge to come out of his goal in an attempt to win the ball. However, Joseph chipped the ball over the keeper and was fouled, with referee Neil West producing a red card for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity.

With no goalkeeper on the bench, former-Canvey defender Ashley Miller took the gloves and comfortably saved Sam Bantick’s subsequent free kick.

On 17 minutes Albert Levett collected a loose ball in the Canvey penalty area and instigated a swift counter attack. The ball was eventually played out left for Sam Bantick who beat a defender before squaring for Tobi Joseph. The ball was half cleared to the edge of the box but only as far as Freddy Eastwood whose first time shot went narrowly wide of the bottom corner.

Three minutes later James White played an excellent ball from the left back position which cleared the Grays defence and found the perfectly timed run of Kane Gilbert in behind. Gilbert ran across goal from the right and shot from a tight angle which Ashley Miller managed to save diving to his left.

Grays created their first chance of the match on 27 minutes when Manny Ogunridge played a good ball out to the left which George Purcell was able to run onto. Purcell cut in from the wing and hit a low shot which Lamar Johnson did well to save, with James White then preventing Joao Carlos’ follow-up effort from going into the now unguarded goal.

Some uncertain Grays defending presented Freddy Eastwood with possession on the edge of the area, with defender Steve King between him and the goal. Eastwood performed several step overs before skipping the ball past King and towards goal, but a committed last-ditch tackle from Mitch Hahn prevented what would have been a certain goal.

Canvey opened the scoring two minutes later when Kane Gilbert saw a long-range effort from the right saved but not held by the stand-in keeper Miller. The ball sprang loose for Tobi Joseph who continued his fine run of form in front of goal to tap home his 14th of the campaign.

Miller did better on 40 minutes when Freddy Eastwood curled a shot across goal from the corner of the area on the left. This time he managed to get two hands to the ball, diving low to his left and pushing it behind for a corner.

The hosts equalised a minute before the break when a free kick into the area was won in the air by Steve King. Canvey had opportunities to clear the ball but didn’t take them, with George Purcell punishing them with a fine finish across goal and into the bottom corner from the left.

With the scores level at the break, Canvey had an opportunity to regain their advantage 11 minutes into the second half when a ball in from the left found its way to Kane Gilbert via a deflection. Gilbert managed to get a shot off on the turn, hitting the base of the post from a very tight angle.

As the half progressed it was difficult to tell which team were playing with ten men. On 61 minutes a break saw George Purcell race through on goal once again, but this time his shot lacked power and was saved by Johnson down to his left.

Grays then took the lead on 64 minutes after Albert Levett had conceded a free kick 30 yards from goal for which he was booked. George Purcell stepped up and struck a low free kick which went across goal from the right and past the unsighted Lamar Johnson.

All Canvey had to offer in way of a response were half chances, with Tobi Joseph having a shot deflected straight at Ashley Miller on 70 minutes before Freddy Eastwood shot a couple of yards wide of the top corner.

Joao Carlos should have rubber stamped Grays’ progression into the next round with five minutes when he was sent clean through on goal. However, with only Johnson to beat, the normally reliable winger placed his shot wide of the bottom corner from just inside the area.

Canvey did have one final chance to take the match to penalties, but Rob Lacey leaned back too much and sent his left-footed shot over the bar from 14 yards.