Match Report by David Powell

Canvey Island progressed to the Quarter Finals of the BBC Essex Senior Cup after a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Dagenham & Redbridge at the Steves Taxis Stadium.

In a game playlist in lashing wind and rain, the Gulls were good value for their win against their higher ranked opponents, who fielded a weakened side due to injuries and fatigue, with many of their squad labelled as 'trialists'.

In a competitive first half, early chances came for both sides. For the visitors, both Alfie Terry and Shiloh Remu tried their luck from range in the opening 15 minutes, but saw their efforts put high and wide of Bobby Mason's goal.

For the Gulls - who were forced into an early change as Jimmy Wallace came off injured - saw their first big chance come in the 17th minute, with good work for Finlay Dorrell seeing him square a low ball across the face of goal, but Kane Gilbert was just a fraction behind it as it whizzed past.

As the half ebbed on, the Gulls began to take control of the game, with Gilbert and Dorrell finding space out wide, and Bradley Sach making a nuisance of himself as he bothered the visitors defence. He got a good shot away in the 30th minute, that needed to be parried by Nathan Harvey to keep the scores level.

Sach would get his goal just a few minutes later though to open the scoring. More good build up play saw him laid off in the area, and he turned to shoot, slotting a low stroke past Harvey to nestle in the net.

Into the second half and the Gulls began to turn the screw on their opponents as the rain fell, making a multitude of chances.
Sach forced Harvey into another save just a few minutes after the restart as he probed for a second. He'd have the ball in the net just a few minutes later after a cross was whipped in from Conor Hubble free kick, but the linesman denied him as he was adjudged offside at the back post.

The Gulls would get the second their performance warrented however in the 52nd minute. An attempt at goal by Dorrell ricocheted off a defender to fall kindly into the path of the onrushing Gilbert, who dinked the ball over Harvey to put Canvey 2-0 up.

The Gulls were beginning to enjoy themselves as the chances kept coming. Sach was unlucky not to grab his brace as he angled another shot in the area, but a slight deflection off a defender could only take it onto the post.
Canvey would seal the contest with a third goal however in the 70th minute. Another ball into the area fell to Sonny Hart, who got a free header in front of goal that forced Harvey to parry from close range. The ball could only fall into the path of Gilbert however, who happily grabbed his brace.

The visitors rung the changes, and made perhaps their best chance of the game in the 80th minute as a good move into the box couldn't be put in as the goal was left gapping, allowing the Canvey defence to scurry the ball away.

The Gulls could have been truly out of sight though, with two chances hitting the woodwork again.
First, Emmanuel Adebiyi saw a superb effort from outside the box curl towards goal but crash agonisingly off the crossbar. It was Gilbert's turn to test the woodwork in the 89th minute, as he flicked another effort goalward but was denied his hatrick by the post.

The full time whistle was met with jubilation by the Yellow Army, with an away trip to Brightlingsea Regent the Gulls reward in the Quarter Finals.
Their attention turns to a busy festive league schedule on Saturday, as they take on Horsham at the Steves Taxis Stadium.