Match report by David Powell

Canvey Island played their first fixture in front of spectators at Park Lane in 5 and a half months, going down to a 1-0 defeat to Concord Rangers.

Due to COVID restrictions, attendance was limited to 200 spectators with just the main terrace at the car park end open.

Canvey got off to the worst possible start after 4 minutes when a poor backpass allowed Alex Wall in on goal and the former Luton Town striker slotted coolly past Bobby Mason.

The Gulls responded well to this setback with Conor Hubble curling a 25-yard free kick just too high and wide on 19 minutes and then Evans Kouassi forced keeper Chris Haigh into a low save with a driven shot from the edge of the area after cutting in from the left.

Kouassi then showed his pace charging down the right and putting over a cross that was just too high for Louis Hunt in the centre.
Wall was proving to be a threat up front for Concord with his height and flicked a far post header wide from a good right-wing cross on 28 minutes.

Canvey though more than held their own in the first half against their Vanarama South opponents with Kouassi and Hubble in particular impressing.

Into the second half and Mason had to be sharp to keep out an effort from Temi Babalola as Concord made a fast start to the half.

A defensive error nearly allowed Concord’s number 10 in soon after but a weak finish was saved comfortably by Mason.

Louis Hunt then outmuscled a defender and forced Haigh into a scrambling save with his feet on 58 minutes as Canvey looked for a way back into the game.

Both sides made a plethora of substitutions on the hour mark with Concord continuing to look the better side in this half firing a few shots high and wide.

After a period of sustained Concord pressure, Canvey created a chance of their own with Tobi Joseph flashing an effort across goal and wide on 75 minutes.

Mason then made a smart reflex save on 78 minutes batting away a powerful drive from Concord’s number 4.

A number of brave defensive blocks prevented Concord from getting a shot in on target and then Babalola found himself in on goal with just the keeper to beat in the last few minutes but his finish was wild and into the stand.

The match finished in a narrow 1-0 win for Gulls’ Island rivals but Canvey will take heart from a hard-working display and a decent first half performance.