Match report by David Powell

Canvey Island suffered only their second away league defeat of the season going down 2-1 to Maldon & Tiptree at Park Drive.

Gulls were not at their best for long periods of the game but will feel they should have come away with at least a point after missing a number of chances in the second half.

Maldon right from the off looked lively in attack with Bryan Ifeanyi looking impressive on the right. In the first minute, he broke down the right but his cross to the far post was steered wide by Scott Kemp.

Canvey got going through Evans Kouassi and his mazy dribble saw Tommy Dixon Hodge having to get down at his near post to turn the ball aside for a corner after 7 minutes.

Moments later Bobby Mason was forced into making a save from Shomari Barnwell with Ifeanyi striking the loose ball wide.

Canvey suffered a big loss in defence when Rob Girdlestone limped off with an injury on 12 minutes. Evangelos Empochontsif replaced him and Canvey took a while to settle conceding a goal on 23 minutes when Ifeanyi fired home from close range.

Gulls responded well and after good work by Kouassi down the left, Matt Price found himself in space at the far post but his header back across goal crashed off of the post and away to safety.

Canvey did have the ball in the net before half time through Harrison Chatting but Price in the build up to the move was judged to have been in an offside position.

In the second half, Canvey made a disastrous start conceding within the first 3 minutes. Bradley McClenaghan picked the ball up in midfield and went on a surging run that that took him through the Canvey defence before he slotted the ball past Mason.

Canvey made a good response with Price picking up Conor Hubble's pass, sidestepping Daniel Obi and firing in a shot that the keeper saved well with his legs. Moments later Hubble fired a powerful shot just over from the edge of the penalty area.

On 58 minutes, a mad scramble in the six yard box from Chatting's corner saw the Maldon defence make a number of fine blocks on the goal line to prevent Canvey from scoring.

Shad Ngandu may have put the game beyond doubt for Maldon on 65 minutes but headed the ball wide and across goal from Al Amin Kazeem's left wing cross.

Bradley Sach came on for Canvey and wasn't too far away with a header from Jey Siva's left wing cross.

On 76 minutes, Canvey reduced the arrears. Kouassi did well down the left and his cross was flicked home at close range by Price at the near post.

It looked like Canvey would repeat their magnificent comeback from two goals down against Barking on Saturday but despite dominating the final 15 minutes, they were continually frustrated by a Maldon defence that held firm and stood up to everything that Gulls threw at them.

Canvey will look to bounce back on Saturday when they face play off contenders Brentwood Town.