Ian Wilson's view of the game
For Merv's view, click here

Can-vey do it - yes we can!

Having played in front of 8,340 people during their last 3 games, Canvey Island wrote their own chapter in the FA Cup history books with an incredible 2-1 extra-time victory over Port Vale after their Second Division hosts hit the woodwork an amazing four times.

The Islanders also hit the post twice before Neil Gregory rose high in the Vale box to head home in the first half of extra-time. Wayne Vaughan clinched a dream second-round clash with local rivals Southend United with a last-minute thunderbolt.

The second half of this amazing match must surely have been one of the most exhilarating ever witnessed at Vale Park. After a decent first period when the Essex side's Steve Tilson cracked a Vaughan free-kick over the bar, the match exploded after the interval.

The Islanders went out after the break like a steam train and got within inches of scoring on a host of occasions. Home keeper Mark Goodlad grabbed a deflected 20-yard curler from Peter Smith and Vaughan's left-foot drive smashed into his side-netting. And when Peter Smith back-heeled the ball to Sammy Cooper 16 yards from goal, he thundered the ball against Goodlad's right post for the first encounter with the woodwork.

But Brian Horton's men almost snatched the lead when Tommy Widdrington connected with Alex Smith's cross and thumped his header against the Canvey upright. He amazingly repeated the trick four minutes later when a firm header from a Marc Bridge-Wilkinson cross cannoned off the bar.

Then, with just nine minutes left, Vaughan skipped between two Vale defenders but somehow struck the inside of the post and the ball rebounded across the goalmouth and to safety. Vale's Michael Twiss cracked a loose ball against the angle of post and bar from 14 yards and Liam Burns incredibly saw his header cleared off the line, via the bar, by Mark Stimson.

But Canvey Island did finally find the net in the final minute of the first-half of extra-time. Steve Tilson whipped over a free-kick from the left and Neil Gregory leapt highest to head into the Vale net and send the vocal travelling support into ecstasy.

And Vaughan bagged the minnows' second with a cracking 16-yard drive in the last minute. Vale's Tony Naylor poked home deep into injury-time but nothing could take the shine off the Canvey Island fairytale.

Merv's view of the match
For Ian Wilson's view, click here

SOMEBODY PINCH ME!

I thought that the home tie against Port Vale last Sunday had everything, except one small thing.  A victory.  Well at Vale Park last night we went the whole way and got the victory as well.  Not just any ol' victory, but a stunning victory.  A spectacular victory.  A victory to tell the grandchildren about in years to come.  It still seems so unreal that I had to buy an evening paper tonight just to make sure it was true and not just a dream.

Over 500 fans made the 200 mile journey to the midlands and they were made very welcome in the impressive Vale Park stadium.  With a crowd of 3556 the atmosphere was terrific, although 99% of the noise was coming from the visiting fans.  The home fans applauded politely when they got excited, in stark contrast to the Yellow Army who, after paying £15 each for a seat, stood for the entire evening singing, chanting and screaming and generally having a good time.  It must have given a great lift to the Canvey players.  

This amazing victory was no fluke.  It was a solid piece of football by the part timers who took their chances, rode their luck and simply refused to be overawed by the professionals.  Vale looked impressive and are certainly a skillful side, but although they were good at getting the ball into the Canvey penalty area, they had few ideas of how to get it into the net.  They lacked height up front and certainly need to look at their finishing.  They used the width of the Vale Park pitch to great advantage and were happy to switch the ball from one flank to the other.  But once they came close enough to see the whites of Ashley Harrison's eyes, they seemed to freeze.

The onus and the pressure was on Vale to win this one and perhaps they thought it was a foregone conclusion.  The commentator on BBC Stoke, in his rather condescending report, was heard to say, "Surely this is only a matter of time for Vale."  Eat your words!  The first real opportunity of the game fell to Canvey after 10 minutes when Steve Tilson came so very close to scoring.  At the back, Mick Bodley was playing with great confidence and some of his clearances from defence were superb.

The first half hour of the game probably went in Vale's favour, in spite of their poor finishing.  However, as we went into the latter stages of the first half Canvey found the home defence was rather suspect.  They had chinks in the armour and they could be penetrated.  Wayne Vaughan was a constant threat and once again, Neil Gregory demonstrated that he is extremely dangerous in the air.

The first half finished at nil-nil and the expected demolition of the part-timers was not going to happen.  Canvey had done more than enough to hold their own and it was Port Vale who came out for the second half with worried looks on their faces.  They had all the work to do.

Vaughan set the tone for the second half when he hit the side-netting after just three minutes.  This was a signal for the Gulls to go into overdrive and there followed an exciting spell which saw Vaughan (yes, that man again) hit the post, an appeal for a penalty (turned down) and a powerful shot (that went just wide).  Vale fans could hardly believe their eyes and manager Brian Horton must have thought he was having a nightmare  His team of professionals, who were practicing while Canvey's team was finishing their post rounds or dismissing the year eight PE class, was well and truly under the cosh.  Even the BBC Stoke commentator rather grudgingly admitted at this point, "I shouldn't be saying this, but the non-leaguers are running the game."

Suddenly Vale seemed to be shocked into action and they came back into the game for spells.  Canvey were let off the hook when Tommy Widdrington's header hit the post, just on the hour, from a Smith cross from the left.  Then a few minutes later it was Michael Cummings who hit the woodwork, this time from a Bridge-Wilkinson cross from the right.  They started to look confident once again, except where it counted, inside the 18yd box.

And so it continued, good end to end football. Wayne Vaughan hit the Vale post on 77 minutes, Alex Burns hit the Canvey post on 83.  Then, not to be outdone, Neil Gregory hit the Vale post on 88 minutes.  It was really exciting stuff and at this stage the game could have gone either way.  Everyone was getting tired on the heavy pitch but nobody was prepared to slow down.  Peter Smith, still suffering from a shoulder injury sustained in the first encounter at Park Lane, never stopped running.  Steve Tilson kept popping up everywhere and Wardy was cool and collected in the middle.  Special mention must be made of Mark Stimson.  He was Canvey's principal playmaker and he gave 110% all night.

The whistle went for 90 minutes and, on level terms, we went into extra time.  The game was there for the taking.  Canvey had proved they were just as good as the professionals and had nothing at all to fear.  Vale, sensing that they had something to prove, came forward.  Only one problem, this left space at the back and that is a dangerous thing to show to the likes of Vaughan, Andy Jones and John Kennedy.  Canvey mounted attack after attack and it was not surprise when, in the 12th minute of extra-time, Neil Gregory put Canvey into the lead.  It came from a Tilson free kick out on the left and Greggors rose majestically to nod it in.  Vale Park went mad - well one end of it did!  Canvey had done it.  They were in front and were determined to stay there.  There was nothing Port Vale could do about it.

Then, just as the visitors thought it couldn't get any better, Wayne Vaughan scored again.  He took the game beyond Vale's reach when he unleashed a scorching 18yd shot after beating two defenders.  This time the cheering could be heard at Park Lane, let alone Vale Park.  Canvey had done it.  They had beaten Port Vale of the second division.  There was just the formality of the final whistle and, although Naylor did pull one back for Vale, nobody seemed to care any more.  Canvey had done it.

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