Canvey Island produced an excellent performance to beat Chichester City 3-1 at the Steve's Taxis Stadium.

Despite going a goal down Gulls were the better side for long periods and thoroughly deserved their victory.

Chichester took the lead after 7 minutes when Joe Clarke found room in the penalty area and drove a low shot past Jacob Marsden.

Canvey to their credit didn't let their heads go down and created the better scoring opportunities for much of the half.

Ben Steward was close with a raking drive that flew just too high and wide for Canvey before a header hit the crossbar.

Matas Skarna curled another effort wide from 25 yards before Freddie Price scuffed a shot on the turn wide on the stroke of half time.

At the start of the second half Jasper Briggs was tested by Junior Nkwonta at his near post after cutting in from the left.

Gulls scored a deserved equaliser on 54 minutes when James Hardcastle turned the ball into his own net from a right wing cross.

Canvey completely turned the game around minutes later when from another right wing cross, Kenedi Dariri bundled the ball over the line to give Gulls the lead.

Canvey continued to dominate with Luke O'Neill heading a powerful header fractionally over from a left wing corner and then Calum Newson firing straight at Briggs after good work by Nkwonta.

Price was then unlucky to see a cross strike the crossbar after good play down the right.

Going into injury time, Ethan Prichard could have equalised for Chichester after breaking through on goal but Marsden spread himself well to make a massive save.

The save proved to be absolutely crucial as from Canvey's next attack Newson was fouled in the penalty area and Conor Hubble stepped up to confidently fire the resulting penalty high into the net.

The victory keeps Canvey's survival hopes alive with 9 games left but they still face an almighty task to claw back a 7 point deficit to Hashtag United who sit a place above the relegation zone.

Match Report by David Powell