Canvey Island 3-1 Felixstowe & Walton United

Canvey Island recorded consecutive BetVictor Isthmian League North victories with a 3-1 win against Felixstowe & Walton United at a chilly Park Lane on Saturday.

On a day when all but three of the division’s fixtures were postponed due to the weather, the Gulls weren’t at their best but were too good for the lowly Seasiders.

Manager Mark Bentley made three changes from the side that were knocked out of the BBC Essex Senior Cup away to Grays Athletic on Wednesday night.

Sam Bantick was unavailable due to attending a wedding, while an administrative issue meant that Freddy Eastwood also missed out. Sam Dulieu also dropped out of the side and took his place on the bench.

Coming in was centre back Alex Stephenson, slotting in alongside Michael Finneran which allowed James White to push forward into midfield. New signing George Woodward started his first match at left back, with Jason Hallett returning to lead the line in attack.

Canvey scored early as they had at Heybridge a week earlier, taking the lead after only five minutes. Debutant George Woodward played a low pass from the left into the feet of Tobi Joseph. He cut inside and picked out the bottom to register his 15th of the campaign.

Four minutes later Albert Levett made his way in from the right wing, playing a low pass into the path of Dan Humphreys whose low shot was saved by the keeper.

After a lull in proceedings, Felixstowe forward George Clarke tested Lamar Johnson with a long-range effort on 24 minutes. However, the Canvey keeper did well, diving to his left and turning the shot behind for a corner.

Canvey doubled their lead on 27 minutes when Jason Hallett chased down a long ball forwards down the right. Goalkeeper Daniel Crump came out of his area to make an interception but allowed the ball to squirm through his legs, gifting possession to Hallett.

The forward still had plenty to do, but from the corner of the penalty area he shot with the outside of his right foot and in ahead of two defenders racking back towards their goal line.

Despite finding themselves two goals to the good, Canvey were not playing particularly well. They nearly conceded on the stroke of half time when the ball rattled around inside the box and eventually fell at the feet of Oliver Canfar.

The striker took a touch and poked the ball goalwards from close range, but his shot was kept out by the right foot of Lamar Johnson.

The Gulls had a goalmouth scramble of their own eight minutes into the second half when Jason Hallett and Kane Gilbert both had goalbound efforts blocked by defenders. The loose ball fell to Rob Lacey on the edge of the box but his shot went over the bar.

Felixstowe pulled a goal back soon afterwards when substitute Joseph Yaxley struck a bouncing ball from 25 yards. The shot seemed to catch Lamar Johnson poorly positioned, and despite scrambling across his goal he was unable to prevent it creeping in at the far post.

Canvey sealed the points on 67 minutes when they were awarded a corner. Kane Gilbert whipped a good delivery into the box which found the head of Michael Finneran, powering the ball home to open his account for his boyhood club.

The Gulls had further chances to extend their lead but were unable to score again. They did have the ball in the net when Kane Gilbert’s shot from the right was turned in on the line by Jason Hallett, but the offside flag denied the forward a second goal of the afternoon.

Photo: KJA Sports Images