Match Report by Jonathan Andrews
Photo Credit - Scott Major

Man Of The Match - Elliott Ronto

Canvey Island moved up to 9th in the Isthmian Premier table on Tuesday evening with a hard fought away win away win at Cheshunt.

In front of a healthy midweek crowd of over 300, it was the Gulls who took their chance when it came, with Elliott Ronto winning the game in the 70th minute as he smuggled home a cross from Jaxon Brown.

Brad Wellmen made two changes to the side that exited the FA Trophy on Saturday, with Chris Harris returning to the starting line up after an absence and Ewan Sanchez slotting into a front three.

The opening exchanges of the game saw the hosts looking to probe at the Gulls defence, with their sharp wing play meaning Matt Yates and Tom Stephen had to be alert to stop them cutting inside. Chances came, with Tommy Wood first to test Bobby Mason after 10 minutes, and MJ Muyembe cutting inside on 36 minutes, only to see his chance cleared away by the Gulls defence.

Canvey settled into the game after a spell of early pressure, and began to ask questions of the hosts themselves as they looked to carve out their own chances down the flank. The pace of Jaxon Brown kept the home sides back four needing to be alert, and the returning Chris Harris set up plenty of opportunities of his own.

Both sides were guilty of missing big chances as the half drew to a close.
First, the hosts fired a header just wide after a free kick from Vas Vasiliou was floated into the box. Then, in the 45th minute, it was Canvey's chance to go close. The hosts failed to effectively clear their lines, with Conor Hubble stealing the ball back and setting up Jaxon Brown, who from around 20 years out lifted a shot towards the far corner of the goal, only to crash off the crossbar to spare the home sides blushes.

Into the second half, and the game continued in a similar pattern, with the Gulls having to survive a spell of pressure in the opening 15 minutes, but defending well to frustrate their opponents.

Canvey created the first big chance of the half though, with great football on the counter seeing Brown and Sanchez link up well, with the later backheeling the Swindon Town loanee into space to fire a low strike, forcing home keeper R'avan Constable into a great save to turn it around the post.

The pressure would tell though as the Gulls persistence paid off in the 70th minute. Brown once again got on the ball after being played in from a throw-in. Breaking to the byline, he squared a low ball across the box. Elliott Ronto was waiting, holding off the challenge from Jeremy Bisau and bundling the ball over the line to put Canvey ahead.

It very nearly could have been two just eight minutes later, as another scuffed clearance fell to Brown once more. Spotting Constable off his line, he lifted the ball over the stranded keeper but saw his chance just land wide of the post.

The hosts pushed for their equaliser, needing the Gulls to be alert as game ebbed into injury time. Their best chance would go begging however in the 92nd minute, with Remi Sutton getting on the end of ball in from Lordon Akolbire, but his effort was held well by Mason.

The referee sounded the full time whistle shortly afterwards, with the Gulls now having taking maximum points from their last four league games on the road.

Their attention now turns back to home on Saturday, with the visit of Chichester City in the Isthmian League Premier.