Match Report by David Powell

Photo: KJA Sports Images

Island won through to the 1st Round proper of the FA Cup for the first time in 16 years after a 3-2 victory over Cray Wanderers at Park Lane in an exhilarating game.

In front of 400 fans and played in gale force wind conditions, Canvey surged into a 3-0 lead within 22 minutes against their Isthmian Premier opponents but were pegged back in the second half and had to defend for their lives as Cray dominated much of the half.

After not playing for over ten days because of the cancellation of their FA Trophy match at Ramsgate because of Covid reasons, Gulls would have been forgiven for being a bit rusty but started the match at an electric pace.

Within 2 minutes they had gone in front. Connor Hubble picked the ball up on the right and his cross was stepped over by Harrison Chatting to Elliott Ronto who helped the ball on to Evans Kouassi whose deflected shot sneaked past Lewis Carey and into the net.

It could have been two moments later when some indecision in the Cray defence allowed Tobi Joseph to break from the left but he fired his shot across goal and inches wide of the far post.

Canvey had a strong swirling wind in their favour but Cray were still a threat looking dangerous on the wings. Jason Banton cut in from the left on a couple of occasions and fired over before from a corner, Jay Leader was able to get a free header in that fell to Joe Taylor but the prolific striker was denied by a smart save with his foot by Bobby Mason.

Gulls though were a real threat on the counter-attack and their second goal came after 10 minutes. Kouassi picked up a loose ball in the midfield and drove at the Cray defence skipping past a defender. He was now one on one with Carey and the winger calmly rounded the keeper and fired into the empty net.

Canvey were in the ascendancy and threatening to run riot. Mason made a smart save to push away a low shot from Banton but the best goal of the game came on 22 minutes.

Kouassi showed great strength to hold the ball up and lay it off to Hubble who found himself in space 25 yards from goal. With the Cray defence backing off, Hubble unleashed a rocket of a shot that flew into the top corner giving Carey no chance.

Canvey fans were in dreamland and the game could have been good as over before half time when Tobi Joseph raced through on goal, turned a defender but Carey got down well to beat his shot away.

Cray were shellshocked and looked vulnerable on the counter-attack. On 34 minutes, Kouassi had another great chance when Hubble’s pass released him. Carey saved at his feet but the loose ball fell to the former Heybridge winger who fired inches wide of the upright with the keeper beaten.

Freddie Parker tested Mason with an effort that he got down well to save but at half time, Gulls had a 3-0 lead.

Even with such a commanding lead, Canvey knew the second half would be a real battle with Cray now having the advantage of the wind and so it proved as they penned the Gulls back in their own half for long periods.

Bobby Mason struggled to get his goal kicks over the halfway line as the swirling wind made it difficult for Canvey to clear their lines.

To their credit, Canvey soaked up the pressure well and really should have sewn the game up on 49 minutes. Joseph broke through again but Carey saved his initial shot with the striker firing wide of the goal under pressure from a defender.

The miss looked costly when on 60 minutes, the referee gave a penalty after Hubble handled in the penalty area. Taylor stepped up and coolly sent Mason the wrong way with his kick.

Suddenly, Canvey were looking nervy and the tension increased further on 67 minutes when Lee Lewis fired in a shot from 30 yards that Mason thought was going wide but deceived the keeper at his near post as the ball caught on the wind and skidded into the net.

It was all Cray now and Canvey were fighting a desperate rearguard action. Mason Hall and Mike Finneran needed to be commanding at the back and Ben Sampayo and Dan Humphreys did their best to cut the supply line down the wings.

Mason made two massive saves as Cray laid siege to the Canvey goal. First, he dived to his right to keep out a low skidding shot pushing the ball away for a corner.

Then on 79 minutes, the keeper made a magnificent reaction save to deny Taylor.

The pressure kept on coming as Cray won a string of corners but somehow Canvey held on and as the minutes ticked down looked more and more likely to hold out.

Rob Girdlestone replaced Kouassi and with Jamie Salmon making a number of crucial interceptions, they stubbornly soaked up everything Cray could throw at them.

The last few minutes should have been easier to watch for the Canvey fans when a through pass sent Chatting clear but he fired wide with just the keeper to beat.

The miss nearly came back to haunt Canvey as Cray racked up the pressure with numerous corners in injury time but after 4 minutes of stoppage time, the whistle blew to spark celebrations amongst the fans and players.

This was a result in which Canvey showed real quality especially in the first half but again showed grit, determination, and great togetherness to come through a second half where they came under intense pressure.

Canvey now take their place in Monday’s draw live on BBC and BT Sport as one of the lowest-ranked clubs left in the competition and potentially facing a mouth-watering tie against the likes of Sunderland, Ipswich Town, and Charlton Athletic.