Match Report by David Powell

Man Of The Match - Matt Yates

Canvey Island battled hard to a 1-0 win away from home on Saturday, as they defeated Hendon 1-0 at Silver Jubilee Park.

On a cold, mid-December afternoon, a solitary goal by Chris Harris in the second half was the difference for the Gulls in an entertaining game for the 263 in attendance. Canvey were good value for their win, and could have scored more if not for a good performance from home keeper Luke Campbell.

He first denied the Gulls after just 6 minutes. Great work down the flanks saw Bradley Sach played into the box, and he delivered a perfect low pass to square Finlay Dorrell, but the winger saw his shot saved well to keep the scores level.

Hendon had been a tough customer on their own patch however, and looked to open the scoring themselves with a few half chances driven high or wide. Nike Muir was the hosts main threat up front, but Jimmy Wallace and Ollie Parsons held firm at the back to keep the striker from getting another goal.

Chances continued to fall Canvey's way. First, Elliott Ronto fired over in the 17th minute after the ball was played to him on the edge of the area. Campbell then came to the hosts rescue again in the 27th minute, with Sach played into space in the area but denied by another save from the keeper.

Chances would continue to fall for both sides, but the deadlock couldn't be broken as half time approached. Chris Harris put a header wide late in the half, with Sach also denied again in the box after a good tackle from Ronny Mfinda.

The hosts perhaps had the best of the late chances in injury time however, with the ball crashing onto the crossbar after an angled strike before it could be scrambled away.

Into the second half and the chances continued to fall, with Canvey managing the game well as they pushed forward.

A free kick soon after the restart was delivered into the box, but couldn't be turned in at the far post. Tom Stephen found himself with a half chance on 57 minutes as they ball was deflected into his path, but he snatched at the strike as it drifted wide.

Brad Wellmen rang the changes in the 60th minute, with Hubble, Crowhurst and Gilbert all introduced, and it proved an inspired move as it helped gift Canvey their goal.
Good work on the flanks saw the Gulls test the home defence once again. They cleared the ball, but only as far as Kane Gilbert, who thought quickly, turning and looping a cross back into the box, where Harris was on hand to loop a superb header over Campbell to put the Gulls ahead on 61 minutes.

The goal spurred the hosts into life however, and they were twice denied by the linesman's flag in the following few minutes. First, Stefan Illic saw his goal ruled out after a foul in the build up, before Dave Diedhiou - making his 500th appearance for the hosts - saw his goal chalked off for offside.

Canvey heeded the warning, and managed the rest of the game well, particularly at the back, where the defence shut down much of what Hendon threw at them. They continued to probe for a second too, with Harris unlucky not to connect better at the backpost after a corner, before great work from Sach held the ball up to find Stephen at the back post, but Campbell was there again to deny him.

The 6 minutes of injury time petered out to see the Gulls take all three points, moving them up to 9th in the table and 2 points off the playoffs in a tight pack.
They'll now prepare for a busy week ahead at home, with National League side Dagenham & Redbridge first up in the Essex Senior Cup on Wednesday, before they return to host Horsham in league action the following Saturday.