Match Report by David Powell

Canvey Island continued their pre-season campaign with an impressive 2-1 victory over Southend United at Park Lane
Against a young Southend side that featured first team striker Simeon Akinola, Gulls were second best for much of the first half but played far better in the second.

After Billy Knott fired an effort wide in the opening 3 minutes, Southend took control of the game and their passing and movement caused a real headache for the Gulls’ defenders.

A shot from Bobby Unwin forced Bobby Mason into a save on 9 minutes with Demiray Anyadike firing the loose ball wide.
O Shane Stewart then tested Mason with a daisy-cutter that the keeper couldn’t hold but claimed well at the second attempt under pressure from Akinola.

Stewart then forced Mason into a brilliant save on 23 minutes with the Gulls’ keeper turning his 25-yard shot over the crossbar.

On 30 minutes, Southend’s pressure paid off. Anyadike’s run down the right flank saw his pass find Cameron Brown who sent in a 20-yard shot that Mason got his hands to but couldn’t prevent from going into the net.

Unwin fired a fierce shot over from 30 yards before Canvey finally fashioned a chance of their own with an Evans Kouassi shot drifting over the crossbar.

Canvey were far better in the second half with Kouassi and Knott starting to have a greater influence on the game.

After Mason made another good save from Stewart, a decent attack from Canvey saw the ball worked to Knott in space on the edge of the penalty area and his clever lob was pushed over the bar acrobatically by Colin Andeng Ndi.

On 55 minutes, Akinola saw a rocket of a shot crash off of the crossbar from 25 yards.

Canvey drew level on 73 minutes via the penalty spot after a clumsy challenge on Tobi Tinabu. Conor Hubble stepped up and made no mistake, sending the keeper the wrong way.

The goal gave Canvey a real confidence boost and a brilliantly worked goal gave them the lead on 80 minutes. Callum Fitzer did well to break down the left and his cross was chested down by a trialist to Eliott Ronto who curled home a fantastic finish from 20 yards.

Canvey finished the game strongly with Hubble’s strike from 30 yards causing problems for Andeng Ndi and then good work by Fitzer nearly saw an opening for Tinabu with the Southend defence quick to clear the danger.

The final whistle blew to seal a good victory against a youthful Southend side that gave Canvey plenty of problems. Gulls will take heart from an impressive second-half display in which they more than matched their full-time opponents.