Match report by Jonathan Andrews

Canvey Island's wait for points on the board was made to continue on Saturday, as they suffered a late defeat to Wingate & Finchley at the Steves Taxis Stadium.

On a quick surface slick from the morning's rain, the Gulls produced arguably their best performance of the fledgling season, but still came out empty handed after a goal in the 94th minute won the game for the visitors.

New signing Tom Stephen started his first game for the club at left back, whilst Chris Harris was available in his first Saturday appearance to lead the line with Kane Gilbert and Emmanuel Adebiyi up front.

The Gulls were in their opponents faces straight out of the traps, and their early pressure warranted the games first goal after just 4 minutes.
A free kick from the flank was whipped into the box by Tom Stephen, and Blues new shot stopper Charlie Grainger could only fumble the ball into the path of Jamie Salmon, who hit a sweet strike home to put Canvey in front.

The early setback seemed to wake the visitors up however, and they responded with chances of their own. Former Gulls forward Luke Deslandes earned himself a free kick on 8 minutes, but saw his strike saved well by Bobby Mason.
The visitors main threat came from the presence of Destiny Oladipo, who saw a header glanced wide on 20 minutes.

The game was well fought in the middle of the park, with Canvey showing more tenacity in the midfield than in their previous games. They were breaking well, with the presence of Harris a big factor as he looked to feed in Gilbert, Adebiyi and Yates, though chances to further test Grainger were at a premium.

The visitors were free scoring though in their previous outings this season, and fired another warning though Michael O'Donoghue in the 42nd minute.
It looked like the Gulls had done enough to take a lead into half time, but Oladipo finally got his say in the game deep into injury time as he recycled an effort that clipped off the crossbar to fire home and level the game.

Into the second half, and the play began much as it had at the start, with Canvey on top and applying the pressure.

Another set piece caused havoc on 50 minutes, and Jamie Salmon thought he had bagged a second for the Gulls as he struck from close range, only for the linesman's flag to deny him.

The Gulls pressure paid off however in the 60th minute, and they took the lead once again - if in rather fortuitous circumstances.
After a free kick was once again won on the left flank, Tom Stephen was on hand again to deliver the ball into the box. This time though, he wouldn't need someone else to get the goal for him. If anyone had questioned Grainger's hand in the first goal, they had no arguments for the second, with the keeper caught in two minds as Gilbert bore down, meaning he flapped at what seemed a routine catch to see the cross drift past him into the net. It certainly wouldn't have been how Stephen expected to score his first Canvey goal, but he took the plaudits all the same.

Much like most of the early season so far though, the Gulls couldn't hang on to their lead for long, and it was Deslandes who came back to haunt his former club as he got on the end of a low cross to poke a strike into the bottom corner, with Mason unable to keep it out despite getting a hand to the ball.

The game was certainly on from that point, as much of the match continued in end to end fashion, with both sides seeking a winner.

Canvey's best chance came in the 70th minute, with neat passing football seeing the Gulls cut open their opponents defence, but Gilbert couldn't apply the finish he wanted as he dragged his shot just wide of the post.
Just minutes later, Salmon nearly nabbed his second, but was also unable to strike cleanly as he'd have liked.

At the other end, Ogo Obi fired just over the crossbar after striking from the edge of the area. Andronicos Georgiou was next to test Canvey's resolve as he drilled a low strike than Mason had to be sure with as he held it.

There was a heart in mouth moment for the Gulls on 88 minutes as the visitors broke at goal, needing an onrushing Mason to intercept before an attacker could get one on one. However, he was adjudged to have fouled his man, but with several Gulls defenders having also rushed back, it meant only a yellow card from the refferee. The resulting free kick was hit against the wall.

It seemed like the game was ebbing towards a draw - a result that'd perhaps been fair for both sides - but a winner would be found deep into 7 minutes of injury time.
A succession of events first saw Harris break through on goal, with Grainger quickly rushing out to clear. The two collided as the challenge was made though, with the refferee favouring the goalkeeper on that occasion, meaning he was down for a few minutes to receive treatment, taking the sting out of the game.

When play was allowed to resume, the visitors broke with purpose after Dorrell had allowed the ball to be played back to the keeper, and another foray down their left flank saw the ball played to Oladipo, who was once again on hand to tap home from close range, winning the game for his side and condemning the Gulls to their 4th successive defeat.

A dejected Gulls side will have been left wondering what they need to do to earn a win as the full time whistle sounded. Its a question they'll need to answer quickly, as they return to action in 48 hours to take on Bowers & Pitsea in a Bank Holiday Monday derby.