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FA Cup 4th Qualifying round Saturday 16th October 1999
Just! At the end of this game most supporters of Canvey will have needed a stiff drink to dispel their nerves during the last 20 minutes of the game. Finger nails were under attack as Canvey started to claw their way back into the game. The game started well enough for Canvey by playing from their favoured direction of north to south during the first half, unfortunately from the kick off things did not go quite to plan. Whilst Tilson had an early shot saved, and the ball appeared to be very much in the St. Albans half, it was the visitors who made much more of their chances. Their first goal came on 18 minutes from a strike by Chris McMenamin. Canvey were looking very poor in defence often panicking when the ball came to close to Ashley in goal, they gave away several corners as a result of this. Their second goal was due to this, as the cross came in from McMenamin and headed home by Steve Clark who has now scored over 300 goals for his club. I am not sure that many people would have liked to be in the dressing room at half time with Canvey playing poorly and trailing by 2 goals to nil., but in all honesty they started the second half how they finished the first. Things were beginning to get very tense in the middle with more than one tussle on the pitch including a moment on 70 minutes where both teams were at each others throats. The incident could easily have seen players being sent off, but only Jones and Vickers went in the refs book. In fact the ref put no less than seven players in the book, including Bartley, who has now managed to get his name quoted by the officials in each of his first four games, at least the first three were for goals. After this mini brawl Canvey started to look at lot brighter on the field, and sensed that perhaps they could somehow come back from a two goal deficit. Canvey were awarded a free kick from just outside the box, and Tilson curled a fine shot into the top of the St. Albans net. Just one behind now, however St. Albans were not going to just let this game slip. A minute later Butler had an excellent attempt at goal with an overhead kick only to see it hit the cross bar. A couple of minutes later Canvey were to go 3 - 1 down thanks to a Steve Clark header. Most fans must have thought that was it in the FA Cup for another season. However it was to be the St. Albans fans turn to go quiet when just two minutes later Tilson headed home his second goal to bring it to 3 -2. Their goalkeeper was then booked for kicking the ball out of the ground in annoyance at Tilson's goal. Things were getting even tenser as the seconds went passed - another dispute saw Bartley get his booking along with Pratt - the Canvey supporters nails were getting shorter - and the St. Albans fans were praying. On 85 minutes Jones scored what may turn out to be his most important goal of the season as he leveled the scores at 3 - 3. Could Canvey hold out for the replay, or would St. Albans sneak a winner, in fact the third option could easily have happened with Canvey playing their best football of the game. So the teams must now try again on Monday night at St. Albans. St. Albans have not been playing as well at home as away, and with the teams meeting for the 3rd time this season it is Canvey's opportunity to go into the 1st round proper, where they will meet Lancaster City or Bamber Bridge at Park Lane. The crowd was recorded as 711, and it was important that they saw a good game to encourage them to return next week. When Canvey were 2 - 0 down, most of them would have been regretting paying their money on the gate, however at full time, I doubt many of them would have left the ground disappointed, they had seen Canvey fight back. All Canvey need now is to play well for 90 minutes on Monday rather than for just 20. Teams St. Albans City: Roberts, Pratt, James, Vickers, Pollard, Rouney, Piper (Duru 74'), Butler, Clark, Andrews, McMenamin (Turner 90') Subs not used: Harvey, Rundall, Meredith, Bookings Attendance
---- 711 Match report by Ian Wilson To read Merv's review of the 1998/99 season, click here
Any comments on the
match, would be greatly appreciated.
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