Match Report by David Powell

Canvey Island secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Herne Bay at the Moviestarr Stadium to keep them in the promotion pack at the top end of the Isthmian League.

In front of a solid crowd of 663, the Gulls raced into a 2-0 lead, but were pegged back by a Herne Bay side struggling at the wrong end of the table.

It took just 11 minutes for Canvey to open the scoring. Good pressure on the left allowed Conor Hubble to feed in Bradley Sach, as he beat the offside trap and guided a low shot confidently past Jordan Perrin to register his 14th league goal of the season.

It was Sach who nearly doubled the lead just moments later, forcing Perrin into a save at his near post with an angled drive, as Canvey began to up the pressure on their opponents. Nzala and Kouassi in particular caused the visiting rear guard all kinds of problems.

Bay gradually settled into the game however, with Kymani Thomas proving to be a real threat to the Canvey defence on the left flank.
His low shot on 23 minutes took a deflection on it's way to goal and forced Bobby Mason into a flying save down by his post.

Soon after, Mason Henry-Saunders picked up the ball around 20 yards from goal and sent in a curling effort that Mason did brilliantly to push away.

Those saves were to prove crucial for Canvey as they doubled their lead on 27 minutes.

Another pin-point ball through fed in Sach, who was fouled in the penalty area by Perrin. The spot kick duty fell to Conor Hubble, who made no mistake as he struck home the second.

Despite the setback, the visitors refused to lie down and showed grit to reduce the arrears as the first half wore down. A left wing cross by Saunders-Henry floated straight to the back post, Rory Smith capitalising as he volleyed home to get his side back in the game.

This urged the Gulls forward again after the lapse and they could have been ahead comfortably at half time when Perrin was forced into making a fine fingertip save from Ashley Nzala’s fierce shot, managing to force it onto the crossbar.

On the stroke of half time, Bay thought they had equalised after Connor Dymond had the ball in the net. Mason did well again to save Yannis Drais’s initial effort, but Dymond's follow up was adjudged to be offside by the officials.

Into the second half and it was the visitors who began to turn the game, showing real impetus to salvage something after their chaotic start.

Both teams saw early chances go astray, Evans Kouassi flashing a cross in front of goal that just eluded the Canvey forwards in the six yard box. Then, at the other end, Marcel Barrington volleyed inches wide for the visitors after another pressing drive at the Gulls rearguard.

Canvey won a free kick just outside the area on the 70th minute, with Conor Hubble stepping up and many in the stadium hoping he'd repeat his antics against Hornchurch a fortnight prior. He nearly rewarded them, his curling free kick agonisingly striking the post as it stayed out.

This respite was kind to Herne Bay and allowed them to break and equalise. Mason spilt Smith's initial shot at goal, but the ball fell kindly for Kymani Thomas, who poked home to level the game.

Things got even worse when Elliott Ronto was shown a straight red card on 78 minutes after a late tackle on Laurence Harvey. It now seemed like the game had slipped from Canvey’s grasp, with the visitors piling on the pressure as they sought to turn the game around.

There was to be another twist in the tail however as the visitors also found themselves reduced to 10 men on 88 minutes. Saunders-Henry, who had been their driving force in the centre of the park, recklessly pulled back Tobi Tinubu as the wing back looked to break, and recieved a straight red for his troubles, despite his protest.

In the blink of an eye, the momentum had swung back in Canvey’s favour after they'd been under the cosh for much of the half. They pushed forward in injury time, searching for a winner.

Sach first forced Perrin into a save at his near post, before an effort on the other side of his goal saw neither Mason Hall or Charlie Edwards able to fire home after corner into the box had caused a scramble.

As the game entered injury time, it looked as though the visitors had done enough to warrant a point.
Hubble had other ideas however as Canvey once again broke on counter. He launched a tremendous strike from 25 yards out that just struck crossbar as Perrin was left scrambling. It seemed like the chance the Gulls had needed had slipped away.

Controversially however, a corner was given when it appeared Perrin hadn't got a touch to the ball. It proved to be the stroke of luck Canvey needed as they won the game in the 94th minute.

The awarded corner was whipped into a busy penalty area and looked to have been hooked away. The visitors couldnt clear it far enough however, as Elliott Johnson brought it under control and set up the shot for Jamie Salmon, who struck a spectacular volley from the edge of the area that sailed into the top corner of the net, sparking wild celebrations amongst the Canvey support and players as they snatched victory from what looked to have been the jaws of defeat.

Indeed, there was still time for Canvey to potentially grab their fourth, when Sach broke through the gap and was once again brought down by Perrin as he attempted to round the goalkeeper.
The referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, showing Perrin a yellow card for the foul and then a second for kicking the ball out of the ground in frustration.

Now down to 9 men and having made all their substitutions, Dymond went in goal for Herne Bay and then proceeded to save Hubble’s tame penalty kick.

The wild match was called to an end moments later, with the Gulls grateful to snatch an important three points that keeps them in the promotion on a day when many of the sides around them also won.

Their focus now turns to a midweek Quarter Final in the Essex Senior Cup, a South Essex derby on the cards as Grays Athletic come to town.