Match Report by David Powell
Photo Credit - Dan Goody

Canvey Island and Hastings United played out a goalless draw at the Moviestarr Stadium as they closed out the 23/24 season with points shared.

In a match well fought in the centre of the park, both sides saw chances go astray and defended resolutely to keep respective clean sheets in tact, in front of good final day crowd of just under 600.

The Gulls had to be on their toes early on against an opponent chasing their best ever Isthmian finish in their current incarnation. It took a good defensive block to keep out a headed effort from Ollie Black in the 8th minute. The defense would be kept on their toes by a pacy U's frontline, with John Ufuah having the games next big chance as he saw a shot blocked wide of the target as he cut inside.

Canvey were still very much in the contest though, storming towards the Hastings area but finding a stubborn defence keeping them from creating chances. Evans Kouassi - starting his first match since November - and Elliott Johnson continued to link up well on the left flank, continually creating a nuisance for the opposition.

Their best chance of the half however, came from something that didn't seem like a chance at all.
Emmanuel Adebiyi - who had picked up the April Player Of The Month award - almost outdone his goal against Hornchurch on 33 minutes, as from the right wing, he looped a ball into the box that almost evaded everyone, meaning it needed a certain tip over the bar from Charlie Grainger to stop it drifting into the net.

Into the second half and both sides continued to work hard, but came up short in their efforts.

Joe Paxman stung the gloves of Grainger early in the half as the Gulls looked to keep the pressure up. Hastings continued their threat on the break, with Jordy Mongoy in particular getting into space to create chances, though he found Sam Jackson there to thwart him on multiple occasions.

It was Canvey though, who would make the best two chances to win the contest later in the half.

First, Supporters Player Of The Season Bradley Sach got himself into a shooting position from close range after good work from a set play, but his attempts to stab his effort goalwards were blocked first by a clearance on the line, and then by the post.

In the dying minutes of the half, Sach was involved again as he linked up with substitute Reon Smith-Kouassi, the two strikers weaving into the box before the chance fell to the later. He couldn't steady his feet however, meaning the scuffed effort was eventually cleared away by a defender.

The full time whistle signalled the end of the game and the end of the season, with Canvey recording their first clean sheet in a month. They rounded off the season with 10 points from a possible 12, meaning their finished a respectable 14th after a campaign fraught with difficulties.

They were applauded off at the end of the game by the Yellow Army for their efforts, as they now take the summer to refresh and go again in the new season.