Match Report by Jonathan Andrews

Man of the Match - Ollie Parsons

Canvey Island were left looking over their shoulders on Saturday afternoon, as a narrow 1-0 defeat at title chasing Horsham saw them dragged to within 5 points of the Isthmian Premier drop zone.

In front of a bumper home crowd in West Sussex, the hosts pilled pressure on the Gulls in the first half, with the defence holding firm until a good strike from Reece Myles-Meekums broke the deadlock not long before halftime. Canvey didn't lie down though, and came out with renewed purpose in the 2nd half, creating several big chances to level the game, but unable to convert them into the goal they needed.

The hosts started quickly, with the Agyemang and Rodriques on the flanks meaning the Gull's defence had to be on their toes to stop quick breaks at goal. It was Canvey who created the first chance on target though, as a blistering run from Tinubu down the left saw him break to the edge of the area, but his shot was smothered by Lewis Carey in the Hornets goal.

The hosts, with title aspirations in mind, began making chances though, with Agyemang denied by a good block from Parsons, before Philpot was first to test Mason in the Canvey goal - his header needing to be pushed away and cleared by the defence before a rebound to be smuggled in.

Jeremy Santos-Hurtado was next to chance his arm at goal, with a moment of individual brilliance seeing him catch Carey off his line as he shot from around 30 yards out. The ball appeared to be drifting into the far corner, but Carey scrambled back just in time to palm it over.
Rodriques was next to go for goal as his low drive needed Mason to dive low to parry the ball away. Harding would go close next as he met a cross floated to the back post with a header than needed Mason to palm the ball over the crossbar.

The pressure would tell on 42 minutes though as the hosts grabbed the lead. Myles-Meekums used his pace to cut inside and away from his marker. Looking up, he hit a sweet strike with venom that Mason just couldn't reach in time.

The hosts would almost double their lead on the stroke of halftime, as a free kick from Hammond ricocheted off the crossbar. The whistle blew for some respite, but despite the Gulls hard work in defence, they were still a goal down.

The second half saw them go on the attack immediately, with a well weighted ball from Foxley seeing Ronto put just wide with a header.
Next, Adebiyi showed great strengh to hold off his marker and burst into the box, though being dragged wide allowed Carey to rush out and block his effort behind for a corner. Parsons would go close from the resulting corner, heading down on target but seeing his effort blocked by a defender. Finally, Hubble would then get on the end of another Foxley cross, but also put his header wide of the target, much to the frustration of the Gulls captain.

The hosts would enjoy a share of possession again as time ebbed on, with a succession of corners needing the Gulls to be at their best defensively, with Mason needing to be on high alert as a he kept a few chances out.

Brad Wellmen used his bench to full effect, bringing all five substitutes into the games as the Gulls desperately looked to snatch a point from their hosts. Their last big chance came after a storming drive forward from Parsons saw him play in Sach, who jinxed in side and hit a shot at goal, but straight at Carey.

At the other end, another corner saw Harding denied by a great block from Jimmy Wallace, before deep into injury time, Chris Dickson jinxed into the area but saw his effort pushed away well by Mason.

Canvey huffed and puffed, but couldn't blow the hosts defence down as full time came too quickly for them to salvage something from the game. News of a win elsewhere for Hendon closes the gap to the relegation zone to 5 points, though they stayed above fellow strugglers Dulwich Hamlet on goal difference.

The Gulls now head into the first of two potentially season defining games on Saturday, as they host fellow strugglers Hastings United at the Steves Taxis Stadium.