Match Report by David Powell

Canvey Island suffered their second successive defeat in four days on Tuesday evening, as they were narrowly beaten by Hashtag United in their first home match of the new Isthmian Premier season.

Despite a late rally to grab a goal back, the Gulls were second best for much of the game against an organised Tags, and much like Saturday, they gave away two cheap goals to seal their own doom.

Brad Wellmen handed a first start to striker Chris Harris, who made his full Gulls debut after not being available at the weekend, and Kane Gilbert joined him in a three man attack with Nick Dembele, with Dorrell and Adebiyi rested.

The first half saw Canvey start of the back foot, with a slight wind in the visitors favour, and they put the pressure on the Gulls from the get go, winning much of the ball in midfield whilst Canvey's play looked pedestrian at times.

They were given an early scare in the 3rd minute, when a probing ball from Darren Foxley took a touch off Toby Aromolaran, who could only poke his effort on to the post - much to the relief of the Canvey defence.

The chances kept coming for the visitors, with Gulls defence needing to be on their toes. Nathan Smith got on the end of another Foxley ball to put a header just wide, before Bobby Mason was called into action to make fantastic stop at close range to keep a header out, with the rebound somehow not smuggled in.

The Gulls did create a few chances when they broke out of their half.
Tobi Tinubu first played a good ball into the box early in the half, with a slight scramble eventually cleared before a strike at goal could be launched. Then, on 25 minutes, industrious work from Dembele saw him find room for a lifted cross that met the head of Harris, but the striker could only guide his effort over the bar.

The visitors pressure would tell though, and they took the lead on 28 minutes.
More good work down the right saw Foxley cut back to Matt Cornhill, who stroked the ball home from close range, with Canvey appeals for offside falling on deaf ears.

It could have been worse just before the break, with Aromolaran bundling a second ball into the net, but the offside flag spared the Gulls blushes. They were happy to hear the refferees whistle blow for half time not long after.

Into the second half and the Gulls came out more determined, pushing forward in search of an equaliser, but unable to create much to test Giddens in the visiting goal. The Tags were still winning much of the battle in the midfield though, and looked a threat when they came forward.

That proved to be exactly the case of 62 minutes, when a similar defensive error to the weekend gifted the visitors a second.
From a Canvey corner, the visitors cleared their lines, with the defence unable to contrain a blistering run from Pedro Carvalho, who broke through on goal and squared the ball to Ayo Olukoga, who showed good composure to finish past Mason from close range.

It left the Gulls chasing the game for the remaining 30 minutes, though the goal seemed to spur them into life, particularly when Wellmen rung the changes. He made use of the newly expanded substitute rules by introducing four new faces, with Livings-Corbin, Dorrell, Adebiyi and Sanchez all entering the fray.

Livings-Corbin in particular, looked a threat on the left, showing determination with his pace and a number of good crosses that made sure Giddens had to be alert to punch them away. It gave the Gulls a new attacking dimension, with the previous strategy of balls over the top being mopped up by a tall visiting defence.

It was one of those dangerous crosses that gave the Gulls a way back into the game on 87 minutes, as they reduced the arrears.
From a free kick, a clearance could only be hoofed as far as Adebiyi, who recycled the chance and played it down the Canvey left, where an accurate cross to the back post found Gilbert, who made no mistake as he headed home.

The wind was in Canvey's sails for the remainder of the game, but try as they might, they were left with too much to do in a short space of the time, and a combination of Giddens and his back four kept the Gulls frozen out, meaning they were unable to force an equaliser.

The Gulls will hope that it's third time lucky in their search for a first win on Saturday, but their task dosen't get any easier, with a trip to recently relegated Dartford their next challenge.