Canvey Island 1-2 Heybridge Swifts

Despite a late fightback, Canvey Island fell to a 2-1 defeat to Julian Dicks’ Heybridge Swifts in the Bostik North at The Frost Hire Stadium on Saturday.

Manager Mark Bentley made two changes from the side that beat Romford last Sunday. Sam Collins came in at left back, allowing Jordan Brown to shuffle across to central defence to fill the gap left by the injured Elliott Warren.

Adam Vyse also returned to the starting XI after creating the only goal of the came against Romford off the bench, with Ryan Melaugh the man to make way.

The first half was a very quiet affair with little in the way of action in front of goal. The first shot that either side had that even slightly threatened the goalkeeper was on the 32 minutes when Adam Vyse shot high and wide from 25 yards.

Heybridge created their first chance a couple of minutes later when Elliott Ronto got his header to Guillem Ramon-Carreno’s corner, but his effort went a yard or so over the crossbar.

The best chance of the half came with five minutes remaining when a low ball into the box from the right caused danger. The ball found it’s way to Chris Millar on the far side of the area, but after taking a touch to set him up to shoot with his right foot, he steered his shot into the side netting.

The Swifts scored two minutes into the second half when a cross from the right was headed clear by Zack Littlejohn. The ball went straight to Elliott Ronto 25 yards from goal who was in acres of space, and he was able to shoot across goal and find the bottom corner on the half volley.

The lead was doubled in simple fashion on the hour mark when Heybridge outnumbered Canvey down the right wing. Kreshnic Krasniqi delivered an inch perfect ball to the back post where Matthew Price was on hand to head home from close range.

Martin Tuohy had a good opportunity on 71 minutes when he got his head to an excellent left wing cross by Sam Collins, but the forward sent the ball wide of the top corner to waste the chance.

Former-Canvey player Harrison Chatting should have sealed victory for his new employers with 15 minutes remaining when Kreshnic Krasniqi put the ball on a plate for him with a low ball across the face of goal from the right, but Chatting scuffed his shot which continued on it’s way and went behind for a goal kick.

It looked as though the visitors were cruising towards a straight forward victory until the 78th minute when they conceded a goal and were reduced to ten men.

A ball into the box found Martin Tuohy who had gotten in between two players, and he directed a header back across goal and in to get Canvey back into the contest.

Kane Gilbert picked the ball out of the net and proceeded to run towards the centre circle for the restart, but Heybridge left back Joe Claridge had other ideas and in a moment of madness decided to trip the Canvey man. The referee consulted with his assistant before showing Claridge a straight red card.

Canvey pushed for an equaliser but their passing and decision making let them down on too many occasions and meant that they were unable to fashion any further goalscoring chances.

In fact, Heybridge could have restored their two-goal cushion in the dying moments when Emmanuel Osei-Owusu broke through on goal, but his one-on-one effort was beaten away by Harry Palmer.

Photo: KJA Sports Images