Soham Town Rangers 1-3 Canvey Island

Canvey Island recorded a dramatic 3-1 win away to Soham Town Rangers in the BetVictor Isthmian League North on Tuesday night.

Manager Mark Bentley made two changes from the side that won 1-0 away to Bury Town three days earlier.

Goalkeeper Rob Budd returned for a second spell, replacing Emmanuel Idem who had filled in for the injured Lamar Johnson on Saturday.

Matt Lock missed out through illness, with James White pushing forwards to take his place in the centre of midfield. Centre back Alex Stephenson came into the side to partner Darren Phillips in defence as a result.

Canvey had the ball in the back of the net inside two minutes when a perfectly weighted ball from deep by James White went over the home defence and found Sam Bantick. The forward took a touch before tucking the ball into the bottom corner, but the assistant referee had raised his flag for offside to rule out the goal.

They had a legitimate chance four minutes later when a miskick from Soham defender Charlie Johnson presented the ball to Jason Hallett. The forward managed to get a shot off, but by the time he had gained possession home goalkeeper Josh Pope had come off his line and smothered his effort.

Hallett had another opportunity soon afterwards when a good cross from the left found him unmarked in the middle of goal, but he will have been disappointed with his header which went over the crossbar.

Soham had their first chance in the 20th minute when midfielder Alfie Connor hit a right-footed shot from distance which Rob Budd saved and held high above his head.

The hosts took the lead on 24 minutes when a dangerous cross was sent over with pace from the right wing. Centre back Darren Phillips got his head to the ball, but unfortunately for him sent it past Budd and into his own net.

The complexion of the match changed in a four-minute spell soon after when Soham were reduced to nine men.

Firstly, on 29 minutes left back Callum Russell flew in with a late challenge on Rob Lacey ten yards inside the Canvey half. Referee Emily Heaslip was well positioned and wasted no time in showing Russell a straight red card.

Soham manager Rob Mason will have wanted his side to keep their composure and regroup after this setback, but this was not the case. On 33 minutes Alfie Connor lunged in with a similarly poor challenge on the opposite wing, and once again the referee gave the Soham man his marching orders.

Despite this heavy numerical advantage, Canvey struggled to seriously test goalkeeper Josh Pope, brother of England international Nick.

The closest they came was on 44 minutes when Albert Levett’s low, skidding shot from the edge of the box was saved by Pope low down in front of him.

Mark Bentley will have hoped for his side to pepper the goal with shots in the second half, but despite huge amounts of possession, Canvey struggled to turn this into any clean-cut chances for 25 minutes of the restart.

One factor that wasn’t helping Canvey build attacks was the bobbly playing surface. It was therefore no surprise that when they did equalise, it was from a ball in the air.

An excellent cross from the right by Dan Humphreys found Jason Hallett at the back post. Having missed a similar chance in the first half, this time he met the ball with a cushioned header back across goal and inside the post to score.

Soon afterwards a cross from the opposite wing by George Woodward found the head of Sam Bantick, but this time Pope was able to produce a save.

The match was overshadowed by a nasty incident on 78 minutes when the ball was kicked into the stand. Soham’s Callum Russell, who had been dismissed in the first half, taking the ball and putting it under his chair.

A supporter went to go and get the ball, at which point an altercation ensued which involved players and supporters from both sides. The situation was brilliantly brought under control by a referee’s assessor in the stands, with George Woodward receiving a yellow card for leaving the pitch.

The match calmed down and it looked as though it was heading for a draw, but Canvey had other ideas. A cross from the right to the back post was headed across goal by Tobi Joseph, forwards by Alex Stephenson and then slid home by Jason Hallett from close range for his second of the evening.

Soham were then forced down the eight men as injuries took hold after they had made all of their substitutions.

The points were sealed in the tenth of sixteen additional minutes at the end of the second half when a cross from the right hit the hand of defender Ally Conway. Kane Gilbert stepped up and rifled the ball into the bottom corner.