Match Report by David Powell

Man Of The Match - Matt Yates

Canvey Island got back to winning ways on Tuesday evening, with a hard fought 1-0 victory over Carshalton Athletic at the Steves Taxis Stadium.

After a first half blighted by injuries for both sides, chances came and went, but it was the Gulls who took the initiative, with Jamie Salmon putting them ahead just before the hour mark - a lead they defended resolutely to pick up their first home win in the league this season.

With a busy fixture schedule across the next few weeks, Brad Wellmen took the opportunity to rotate his side, with Elliott Ronto, Tom Stephen, Emmanuel Adebiyi and Finlay Dorrell all returning to the starting line up.

The visitors were on a decent run of form coming into the game however, and they created the games first opportunity after 2 minutes, when Luke Cook attempted to chip Bobby Mason after being played into space, but saw his effort drift wide.

They pace of Darnell Goather-Braithwaite and Sharon Ifeanyi would be a stern test for the Gulls defence, but they were alert to the danger of balls down the channel, limiting the wingers to scuffed or blocked efforts.

Canvey weren't to be outdone for pace of their own however, and down their flanks, Jaxon Brown and Finlay Dorrell began to ask questions of the visitors. It was the later who crafted the Gulls first opportunity at goal, picking up on a tame kick from Carshalton keeper Mackenzie Foley, but seeing his own chipped effort drift wide of goal.

The quick start to the half was then hampered by a series of lengthy injury spells, with Foley and Charlie Kennett both requiring treatment. When play resumed though, the chances kept falling Canvey's way.
Bradley Sach turned provider on 23 minutes, with his flicked header playing in Brown, and though the wingers electric pace took him into the box, his eventual effort dragged wide of the far post.

Canvey suffered an injury blow of their own on 33 minutes, with a nasty collision for Dorrell seeing the forward have to make way for Chris Harris.
With the game back underway, it was the visitors turn to go close, as Read again found space to strike an effort, and this time it grazed the top of Mason's crossbar.

A disjointed first half full of injury stoppages that saw 11 minutes of added time played nearly ended with a Canvey goal after Chris Harris played in Sach but Foley came out bravely to block his effort.

Recomposed up front, chances would continue to fall for Canvey. Harris would provide the first, with the striker getting into space on the wing before slotting a ball to Sach in the centre. His first touch was just too heavy however, meaning Foley was able to spread himself well to deny the Gulls striker from close range.

Harris then had an opportunity of his own in an extended period of injury time, as he got on to a corner from Elliott Ronto, but saw his effort creep the wrong side of the post, meaning the two sides remained all square at the break.

Into the second half, and Canvey kept looking to press the issue, with Manny Adebiyi first to launch an effort that was parried well by Foley. The visitors weren't to be outdone though, and were almost handed a lifetime after Mason failed to hold a ball in the area, though the chance was eventually cleared.

With Brown still a threat down the channels though, his pace would earn the Gulls a free kick out wide on 56 minutes. Jamie Salmon would take responsibility and whipped a ball towards the back post. It deceived everyone, including Foley, nestling into the back of the net to put the Gulls in front.

The visitors pushed forward for an equaliser, using the pace of the wings to look to get balls into the area from wide. They nearly scored an unconventional goal of their own, with a ball lofted in by Kwaku Frimpong clipping the crossbar as it travelled.

Both sides continued to use their wing play to push forward, though the defences shut each other out where they needed to. The Gulls backline was resolute as it looked to deal with pacy counter attacks, getting in the face of the visitors attack before hooking the ball up the field.

Half chances came and went for both sides, but the two biggest perhaps came in injury time.
First was the Gulls, and Conor Hubble - who'd already seen an effort saved by Foley - put in a cross in the 90th minute that found Harris, but the striker saw his header drift wide of the post, much to his chagrin.

Then in injury time, the last big chance for the visitors came, as Sharon Ifeanyi moved like lighting down the right flank and pulled the trigger, but saw Mason equal to his effort with a good save to turn the ball round the post.

The full time whistle would eventually come a few minutes later, with the Gulls winning another valuable three points to boost them up to 13th in the table.

Their attention now turns to the Isuzu FA Trophy on Saturday afternoon, with fellow league side Horsham the visitors to the Steves Taxis Stadium.