Saturday 5^th September

Canvey Island 6 – 1 Stansted

What a treat for the home fans on an otherwise wet and miserable Saturday afternoon. Canvey were always in command and showed their Essex Senior League opposition how the game should be played. It was a team effort for Canvey but Steve Tilson must be regarded as the Man of the Match. He scored a hat-trick (two from the penalty spot) and made two other goals, one for Jamie Reilley and the other for Alan Brett.

Bretty himself scored twice and was the attacker brought down in the Stansted 18yd box to give Canvey their second penalty. The first penalty came when Williams was fouled inside the penalty area. The sad thing was that for each of the penalties the referee judged the Canvey players to be through with only the goalkeeper to beat and showed both Stansted players a red card. A harsh decision perhaps, although Stansted seemed to play better with nine players than they did with 11.

The first Canvey goal came after eight minutes when Donovan, on the right, sent a long ball out to Tilson on the left. Tilly put an inch-perfect pass into the path of Reilley and Canvey were one up. On 20 minutes another cross from Tilly on the left found the head of Allan Brett and it was 2 – 0.

The second half saw Williams as the goalmaker. He put over a beautiful cross for Brett to grab his second goal and then created another when he knocked the ball back from the 6yd box, right onto the foot of Tilson and the ball went screaming into the back of the net at about 100mph. Then came the two penalties.

News in the clubhouse before the game is that Mickey Desborough, Canvey’s regular goalkeeper last season, has moved to Gravesend. Fortunately, Brian Horne seems to be recovering very well from his injury and played today for the first hour or so of the game. In the second half he was substituted by youngster Chris Sutton. Jeff Brazier came on in the second half for Danny O’Shea (what a good game he had) and with about 10 minutes to go, Andy Jones replaced Steve Tilson.

Miss of the match belonged to Steve Porter. Late in the second half his long legs got in the way of a Stansted clearance on the edge of their penalty area. He beat one, beat two, kept going past a third and with only the goalkeeper to beat, put the ball somewhere in the car park. One wag in the crowd asked why on earth he didn’t get down on his hands and knees and head the ball home!

Match report by Merv.