Garry Kimble’s side hosted Brentwood Town for a pre-season clash, it was Canvey Island’s Conor Hubble, who kicked-off the afternoon and the Gulls were off to a lively start. Inside the opening four minutes Ross Wall had a chance to give Canvey the lead but failed to direct his header away from the Brentwood Town goalkeeper, Harry Seaden. A minute later Freddie Price found himself on the edge of the area and unleashed a strike that sailed over the crossbar, still inside the opening ten, the Gulls were awarded a corner, Freddie Prices’ delivery was met by Michael Finneran who saw his header loop into the arms of Harry Seaden.

On the 15th minute the Gulls were on the attack again and found themselves with another corner, the ball was met by the Blues’ ‘keeper and the visitors took advantage, and charged forward on a counter-attack, where it was former Canvey man, Bradley Sach who placed his effort into the top corner, beating David Hughes. Two minutes later, Brentwood had a second after some poor defending from the Gulls. The visitors’ Linton put a dangerous ball across Canvey’s box which was met by Berry with a diving header. Just before the water break the Blues were fired an effort wide as they searched for their third of the afternoon.

Following the break in play the visitors did find their third goal, it was Bradley Sach again, this time finding the bottom corner after receiving the ball in the box from Linton’s pass in the twenty-fifth minute. Around ten minutes later the Blues found a fourth before half-time, as Linton fired home a bullet into the top corner. The Gulls went into the interval with a mountain to climb in the second period, as the first forty-five ended with a four goal deficit.

Half time: Canvey Island 0-4 Brentwood Town

The Blues got us underway for the second half and shortly after the Gulls pulled one back after Freddie Price found the bottom corner from the edge of the box. Three minutes later, left-back Louie Arrowsmith won a penalty after being brought down in the area, Conor Hubble stepped up to take the spot-kick, which he placed into the top corner to half the deficit.

In the 62nd minute the Blues won a free-kick in promising area, however Berry’s effort is well caught by David Hughes in the Canvey goal, minutes later Hughes was called into action again after Brentwood’s corner was met by Gibbs who forced the Canvey number one into an important save. The Gulls were awarded a free-kick in the visitors half, following the corner, where goalscorer Conor Hubble whipped in a cross that was met by striker Ross Wall to give the Gulls their third of the afternoon, the striker directing his header into the bottom corner by the far post.

However, Brentwood were on the attack from the restart where Hudson fizzed a shot wide of the post. The Referee stopped the play for another drinks break, and the game restarted with around 20 minutes to go. Just before the final ten minutes, David Hughes denied the Blues their fifth of the tie, after saving a shot from inside the area. In the last minutes of the game the Blues were close again to finding a fifth, after Hughes flicked his header wide from former Canvey man Scott Kashket’s corner.

Full-time: Canvey Island 3-4 Brentwood Town