Total Domination By Canvey
But Only One Goal.

Canvey totally dominated this game, from start to finish, but the extraordinary thing was they could only find the net once.  They had more chances than you could count and for the first hour every player, including Steve Ward, was coming forward to try to break the deadlock, but nothing would go in.  It has to be said that Richard Barnard in the Maidenhead goal, was absolutely superb.  He saved his team from a 10 - Nil drubbing

Maidenhead obviously came looking for a draw and they put ten men into defence all night.  Only Tim Cook stayed up front and whenever he had the ball he ran towards the corner flag.  The only Maidenhead shot all night came on 85 minutes and that one was too high and too wide.  With little to do at the back, Mickey Bennett had lots of opportunity to come forward and in this role he looked much more comfortable and much more dangerous.

The game was certainly entertaining for the Canvey fans and it was Wayne Vaughan who started the evening of near misses when he got onto the end of a clever John Kennedy cross on 25 minutes, but his shot was just wide.  Then it was Steve Tilson's turn to force Barnard to make a good save two minutes later and two minutes after that Wayno again found a gap, this time put through by Bennett.  Not wanting to be left out, John Kennedy forced yet another save when Adam Miller put him through into a goal scoring space.

This was turning into the most one-sided game ever seen at Park Lane with Ashley Harrison having next to nothing to do at the other end.  When the whistle went after 45 minutes nobody in the ground, including the small band of faithful Maidenhead followers who had made the long journey to Essex, could believe the score was still nil-nil.

As soon as the second half started Neil Gregory tried to get into the action with a superb shot that was pushed out for a corner by Barnard.  He kept persevering but he missed (or forced good saves) from the edge of the 6yd box and the edge of the penalty area.  He tried (but failed) from as close a 3yds and from as far away as 20yds.  Poor Greggers.  He had so many near misses tonight that it became quite clear that he was never going to score - sometimes it happens like that.  

Steve Parmenter came on but in spite of a great header that forced yet another good save, he couldn't get a goal.  Mick Bodley came looking for the net, but couldn't find it.  Steve Ward was playing the role of overlapping wing-back and some of his crosses were dangerous, but still no goals.

In the end it was down to top scorer Wayne Vaughan to end the stalemate.  Adam Miller was through for a one-on-one with the keeper but took a knock when Barnard came out well to thwart his attempt.  But the clearance was not complete and the ball eventually came back to Wayne who was now running into the area.  He unleashed a terrific shot that was low and found a gap underneath the advancing Barnard.  At last, Canvey had taken the lead.

There was always the danger that Maidenhead would sneak one back and so Canvey tried desperately to get a second, but in spite of the best efforts of Tilson, Kennedy, Vaughan - in fact the whole Canvey squad - it was not to be.  Partly due to bad luck, partly to poor finishing (nobody able to take a first time shot, always wanting an extra touch) and partly due to some good defending.  But mostly due to some unbelievable goalkeeping by the ever-agile Barnard.  No wonder Canvey fans gave him a heart-felt ovation when the final whistle went.  He saved his team from a much bigger defeat.

If the match report fails to mention the Maidenhead attacks, I'm sorry.  There weren't any of note.  This was a game that was entirely dominated by Canvey, but they couldn't score.  The match was entertaining, but they couldn't score.  All in all, it was a joy to watch, but still they couldn't score.

Match Report by Merv.

Weather Conditions:  Cold, dry evening.

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