Match Report by David Powell

Canvey Island's poor run of form continued on Saturday, as they were comprehensively beaten 4-2 away at Folkestone Invicta.

In front of a late January crowd of 505 on the Kent coast, the Gulls were the architects of their own downfall, giving up another two goals before halftime before going down to 10 men in the 2nd half. Despite two goals giving the traveling fragment of the Yellow Army something to cheer, two further goals for the hosts plunged Canvey further towards the drop zone.

Brad Wellmen was still without several players, including Sonny Hart, who was recalled by parent club Swindon Town to go out on loan to National League South side Farnborough. The hosts boasted former Canvey favourite Evans Kouassi in their starting lineup as part of a strong attack.

The opening 30 minutes saw an even affair, with the Gulls defence doing enough to keep Kouassi and the host's attack at bay, while moving forward themselves with purpose, as Yates, Hubble and Harris delivered several promising balls into the area, but home keeper Jonathan Henly wasn't tested much.

Finlay Dorrell put wide early in the half as he got on the end of a pass forward from Tobi Tinubu, while at the other end, Luke Allen stung the gloves of Bobby Mason as he hit a strike from outside the box.

The Gulls positive start was undone on 31 minutes though as the hosts took the lead. As Mason opted to clear the ball, home striker Ade Yusuff charged him down and blocked the clearance. It allowed the striker to the chance to win the ball back off the Gulls defence and although Mason blocked his first strike, he couldn't stop his second, as Canvey fell a goal behind.

It would only get worse just before half time as the hosts doubled their advantage.
A corner whipped in from the right floated straight across the face of goal, with nobody in the Canvey defence picking up Yusuff as he was left with a simple tap in to double his and the games goal tally.

The Gulls needed a reaction at half time and they started the second half brightly. Good work from Yates saw him pass to Hubble on the edge of the box, who floated a great ball towards the back post, but neither Tinubu or Sach could turn it in.
Then, more determined work from Harris and Salmon in the area saw another chance presented to Hubble, and he forced a good save out of Henly.

The Gulls mountain to climb would be made all the higher on 58 minutes however, as they were reduced to 10 men. Tobi Tinubu did well to win his first challenge as he battled on the wings, but mistimed his second. Having already been booked 10 minutes earlier, the referee pulled out a second yellow, giving the Canvey defender his marching orders.

It gave the hosts the advantage again, and they made it count as they they added a third. The hosts were given the time and space they needed to play the ball around the box, eventually finding Dean Rance, who thundered home a strike from the edge of the area.

The Gulls, to their credit, didn't lie down however, and found a route back into the game on 66 minutes. They put pressure on the hosts area, with Salmon playing the ball to Harris. He hit an angled strike at goal that Henly could only push into the path of Ian Gayle, with the defender mistakenly tapping the ball into his own net.

The goal gave Canvey a brief glimmer of hope, but any hopes of a comeback were extinguished in minutes as the hosts restored their 3 goal cushion after Yusuff grabed his hatrick with a header - Kouassi providing the assist.

The hosts were in the mood for more, and Kouassi, Matthias Fanimo and Joe Turner all had chances to make it five, though either saw their efforts put wide of saved by Mason.

Canvey kept trying to come forward to restore some pride, with Yates and Gilbert continuing to battle down the flanks. They gave the traveling fans behind the goal another slither of hope on 79 minutes, as Adebiyi did well to get past his marker and fire a fine finish past Henly to make it 4-2.

Daniel Smith was gifted two big chances to put gloss on the scoreline for the hosts after his pressure won him the ball, but he skied one over the bar and saw the other well saved by Mason.

Canvey had one more big chance to set up a photo finish in the 90th minute as a ball was lifted in towards the back post again, but Harris flashed his shot across the face of goal and past the opposite post.

The full time whistle put the Gulls out of their misery, with their form now stretching to five straight league defeats. It leaves them just two points above the relegation zone, with their task not made any easier next Saturday as they travel to playoff chasing Cray Valley PM.