Photo: KJA Sports Images

Canvey Island reached the 2nd Round of the Emirates FA Cup with a 2-1 win away to Pitching In Southern League Premier Central side Banbury United on Saturday.

The Gulls had to absorb huge amounts of pressure but scored in either half to see them in the next round.

Manager Mark Bentley named the same side that had beaten Cray Wanderers in the previous round of the competition.

The Gulls started brightly and created a chance inside the opening minute. Evans Kouassi sent over a dangerous cross from the left towards Tobi Joseph, but defender Kelvin Langmead did well to head the danger clear.

The hosts had the ball in the net on six minutes after a cross from the right by Connor Roberts was headed towards goal by Ricky Johnson. Bobby Mason pulled off a good save with his left boot only for Pablo Haysham to tuck away the rebound, although the referee awarded a free kick to Canvey for a foul by Johnson on Michael Finneran.

Johnson was involved again on 12 minutes when he rose highest to flick a dangerous long throw from Sam Brown onto the roof of the Canvey net.

Tobi Joseph did well on 19 minutes to chase a long ball over the top down the left, keeping it in play despite it flicking off the head of a defender. Joseph took his man on, giving himself an angle before smashing a shall towards the top corner which goalkeeper Jack Harding did well to turn over the bar for a corner.

Canvey took the lead on 23 minutes after some patient build up play earned them a throw on the right wing. The ball was played into the feet of Conor Hubble who made his way towards goal, turning a defender one way and then the other before firing home from 18 yards.

Evans Kouassi was playing very well down the left wing, causing several problems for right back Connor Roberts.

The hosts grew into the game as the match progressed as they went in search of an equaliser.

On 36 minutes Giorgio Rasulo took a shot from 20 yards on the right. His shot caught a deflection and thumped the top of the crossbar, staying in play and going behind for a corner soon afterwards. The corner caused panic inside the Canvey are, but the Gulls survived following a goal mouth scramble.

The Puritans struck the woodwork again four minutes later when a low shot from the opposite side of the pitch hit the foot of a teammate and clipped the outside of the base of the post, going behind for a goal kick.

Canvey had an excellent opportunity seven minutes into the second half when Harrison Chatting chased down what looked to be a lost cause, with the ball heading back to the keeper. However, Jack Harding slipped at the vital moment, preventing Chatting from collecting the loose ball by picking up the backpass.

Chatting and Hubble stood over the indirect free kick inside the box to the right of goal. Instead of rolling the ball to Hubble, Chatting instead played it across to Elliott Ronto who saw his low shot cleared off the line by Jack Self who was on the post.

The Southern League had the vast majority of possession and piled on the pressure. This eventually told on 68 minutes when a low ball in from the right found captain Ricky Johnson at the near post who turned it home from close range.

Having been on the back foot for so long in the match, the goal could have been difficult for Canvey to come back from. However, three minutes later the Gulls were back in front.

A free kick from Conor Hubble was headed back by Jamie Salmon for Elliott Ronto, with the midfielder smashing the ball home with his right from 12 yards.

Canvey then found themselves in a three-on-two situation the counter attack two minutes later, with Tobi Joseph playing Evans Kouassi in down the left. However, his curling shot from 18 yards sailed narrowly over the top corner.

The hosts put the Canvey goal under siege for the rest of the match but couldn’t find the goal. They were awarded two free kicks in the closing stages, but Bobby Mason produced an excellent save to deny Giorgio Rasulo on the stroke of 90 minutes before the wall did its job from the same man deep into injury time.