CANVEY FAIL TO IMPRESS

For the second home game in succession, Canvey failed to impress their fans today with a performance that was well below par.  Below par in that this is a club with bucketfuls of talent, riding high in the Premier League and, on their day, one of the most entertaining football teams in the South East.

The question that was being asked around me was, "Did Braintree play well, or did Canvey play so badly?"  I guess the answer is somewhere in the middle.  This was a spirited performance from our Essex neighbours and players like Nicky Smith and Leon Gutzmore were able to lift their game to such an extent that for one or two spells, Canvey found themselves under the cosh.

The afternoon started well for Braintree and they certainly came to play open football.  They pushed the ball around well and home fans knew this would be no push-over.  Within ten minutes they had hit Canvey's side netting and Ashley Harrison was certainly the busiest 'keeper.  But Braintree were putting up a workmanlike performance without ever looking truly dangerous.

On the other hand, Canvey did look to be the better side whenever they got into their stride.  When they got into top gear they looked dangerous but, sadly, this didn't happen often enough and for too much of the game they coasted along.

It was in the passing department that Braintree were giving Canvey a lesson.  Too many of the home balls failed to make their mark, whilst the visitors made most of their passes count.  But one sensed that Braintree were playing out of their skins whilst The Gulls were just letting things settle and that they would step up a notch later and take the game.  Gone was the zeal and the vigour of the Canvey attack although there was the odd burst that reminded you that they had the ability to take the game, if they wanted to.

Just before half-time we saw a terrific combination of Kennedy, Vaughan and Parmenter that had the three youngsters pull the defence apart but in spite of repeated attempts, none of their shots would go in and eventually the ball was cleared to safety.

It was on 41 minutes when Vaughan got his seventh goal of the season and put Canvey into the lead.  A free-kick was quickly taken just outside the penalty area by Tilson and he found Gregory on the edge of the 6yd box.  Greggers put in not just one, but several successive headers and they all fell in the danger area.  It was the third one that found Vaughan and he hit hard.  The ball did take a deflection as it went into the net, but in truth, Dean Mahoney was nowhere near.  A well taken goal and, arguably, the slightly better team was in the lead.

The second half started with Braintree taking several shots at goal and once again, it was Harrison who was earning his wages, rather than Mahoney.  Canvey did set up one or two good chances, one of the best falling to Neil Gregory on 48 minutes.  Peter Smith (another good game) did so well to bring the ball out of defence and started a dangerous run along the right.  He looked up, saw Greggers was in some space and sent over a perfectly weighted pass that found the forward perfectly.  Unfortunately, Greggers wanted just one touch too many and because of this the Braintree defence managed to close him down and the moment was lost.

The Braintree defence was playing particularly well and ex-Southender Nicky Smith was not only the best defender but my Man of the Match.  He was the playmaker who was making things happen for the visitors.  He was the brains behind all their serious moves and his encouragement was bringing the best out of younger players like No. 4 Gavin Cowan who in turn played well and was unlucky to be booked for absolutely nothing by Mr Tate, the referee.

Canvey were particularly unlucky to have a good goal disallowed on 58 minutes.  Greggers was judged to have fouled as he rose above the entire defence to knock a cross into the path of Wayne Vaughan.  Vaughan found the net, but the referee said, "No," and the goal was disallowed.  But this 'goal' gave a new strength to Canvey and they managed to lift their game, at least for a while.  They started looking good and, for the first time in the afternoon, they looked comfortable.

Then came two rather unusual substitutions by Canvey that left many fans puzzled.  Within the space of a few minutes Canvey took off John Kennedy for Jeff Brazier and Wayne Vaughan for Steve Clark.  Gone was the width created by JK and gone was the punch in the danger area created by Vaughan.  From this point on Canvey seemed to lose what little passion for the game they had and it all became rather pedestrian.

It might have been different, however, as Clarks first 'touch' wasn't actually a touch at all.  He was set up beautifully by a Duffy through ball but just a few yards in front of goal he fluffed what should have been a cracking shot by failing to make contact and Mahoney gratefully collected the ball and sent it back upfield.

Gutzmore's equaliser was just reward for the Braintree hard work and running, although it came as a bitter disappointment to Canvey, especially as it came within just four minutes of a possible win.  It was a cross to Canvey's far post (familiar story?) and he rose majestically above the entire defence to head home.

The final minutes were played out with the usual blend of thrills, spills and near misses, but the truth was Braintree were worth their draw and we have it all to live through again next Tuesday night at Braintree.

Match Report by Merv.

Weather Conditions: Warm, sunny afternoon with a shower in the first half.

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