Canvey Island increased their unbeaten run to 11 matches in the Isthmian League North after a magnificent 6-0 win over Witham Town at Park Lane.

On a cold Tuesday night in front of a crowd of 279, it was only a superb goalkeeping performance from Rhys Madden that kept the score to single figures. Canvey were rampant from start to finish and Witham had absolutely no answer to their pace and attacking flair.

Right from the first whistle, Canvey looked confident and Witham struggled to deal with wave after wave of Canvey attacks. Witham featured two ex Canvey players in Adam Vyse and Billy Willis in their starting line up.

On 3 minutes, Madden made his first save of many after Harrison Chatting volleyed a right wing cross from Elliott Ronto straight at the keeper.

Minutes later, Evans Kouassi broke down the left but Madden saved his low shot with his legs.

It seemed unlikely, Witham could hold out against this pressure and on 12 minutes, Gulls took the lead. From an exquisite left wing cross from Jey Siva, Matt Price climbed to send a powerful header past Madden.

In fairness to Witham, they could have equalised a few minutes later with a rare attack but after Kye Jude got on the end of a header back across goal, Bobby Mason made a tremendous reaction save to turn the ball over the crossbar.

Ronto headed wide from Tobi Tinubu's right wing cross on 16 minutes before Canvey extended their lead 2 minutes later with another quality strike from Kouassi.

The ball was played into the tricky winger from the left and from the edge of the penalty area, he looked up and bent a superb effort past Madden and into the top corner of the net.

It was attack after attack for Canvey now and they were peppering Madden's goal with numerous shots.

A superb 20 yard shot from Tinubu was tipped wide by the keeper and then a cracking effort from Kouassi smashed off of the underside of the crossbar and to safety.

After a defender had nearly put the ball into his own net from Chatting's cross, a fizzing shot on 28 minutes from Kouassi forced Madden into another diving save.

A third goal seemed inevitable and after Madden had made another tremendous save to keep out Ronto's close range header, Canvey scored from the resulting corner.

Chatting's left wing corner picked out Price whose header was blocked but the loose ball fell to Conor Hubble who swept the ball home to score in 8 consecutive games.

Just before half time, Kouassi broke through but was denied again by Madden at his near post.

Witham were relieved to hear the half time whistle but any hopes of a second half improvement were soon dashed as Canvey came out for the second half full of attacking vigour.

Price just failed to get a touch on a superb left wing cross from Kouassi but on 49 minutes, the former Heybridge striker had his 2nd goal.

A cheeky back heel from Kouassi found Siva who sent in a left wing cross that was inch perfect for Price to head home.

On 56 minutes, it was 5-0. Hubble picked the ball up 25 yards from goal and struck a shot that deceived Madden with the keeper getting a hand to the ball but not able to keep it out.

A 6th goal was not long in coming. Another brilliant Madden save denied Kouassi from a header but on 62 minutes, the winger broke on to a through ball and fired past the keeper expertly.

There was still 30 minutes left to play and Canvey were hungry for goals. Only the brilliance of Madden stopped them from adding to the scoreline.

The keeper did well to turn a 20 yard shot wide from Tinubu after a mazy run from the full back saw him cut in from the right on 65 minutes.

Substitute Callum Fitzer then tested the keeper with a curling low effort.

Mason was called upon to make a tremendous save from a 25 yard shot before Price twice could have claimed his hat-trick in the closing minutes first firing wide of the target and then bullying his way into the area before Madden pushed his effort over the crossbar.

The score-line remained at 6-0 and with Grays losing to Great Wakering, Canvey now find themselves 4 points clear at the top going into a weekend where the Gulls are without a fixture owing to Sudbury's involvement in the FA Cup.