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Match Highlights
We've Only Gone And Done It...
They say that lightning doesn't strike twice, but at the magnificent JJB Stadium lightning, in the form of Neil Gregory, struck in the 87th minute when he banged home a superb right footed volley from 10yds out. It was enough to send the travelling Yellow Army into raptures and even the home fans, quite used to seeing their team go behind, stood at the end of the game to applaud the part timers off the pitch.
The game plan was to try and keep a clean sheet (obviously) or at least keep Wigan out for as long as possible. The home fans would certainly have got behind their team had they taken an early lead and so the longer the scoresheet stayed clean, the more annoyed the home fans were becoming. In turn the players were getting rattled and in a ten minute spell between the 40th and 50th minutes, three Wigan players were booked and one was sent off. This lack of discipline was to be Wigan's eventual undoing.
The danger man for Wigan was No. 31 Peter Dalglish. He found lots of room out on the left and whenever the ball found its way out to his flank, he was able to send in some dangerous crosses. For several long spells of the game Canvey found themselves on the end of a series of poundings, but they held on tight, put nine men behind the ball and held in there. They never got rattled, they never resorted to big hoofs upfield. Instead they tried desperately to piece together the stylish game that has become their hallmark. It was difficult, but this was the target they set themselves and although it took the a while to settle, this is what they eventually managed to achieve. There was another early let-off for the visitors when Mick Bodley, in trying to turn a dangerous cross behind, hit his own upright but to everyone's relief it ran away for a corner. Dalglish was also unlucky after 26 minutes when his deep cross landed on the top netting and as the game went on, Wigan were making all the right moves, but somehow couldn't find the finish. Canvey were defending well and the midfield was picking the ball up well but the truth is that whenever the ball was pushed forward, there was nobody there to pick it up.
The first half finished still 0 - 0 and the home fans were complaining that it was the referee's fault. But with little or no support from the home fans to cheer their lads on it was easy to see why the Wigan players were dispirited and getting desperate. Canvey, on the other hand, were playing their normal game (or as close to it as could be expected). By hard work and dogged determination they kept coming forward and Gregory came close, Knight came even closer John Kennedy was a constant thorn in Wigan's side. You sensed that if Canvey could only put one away, that might be enough.
When Lee Ashcroft was sent off for his second yellow card after 82 minutes, Jeff King decided that he must send on another striker to take advantage of the gaps left in the Wigan side. What a gamble, but it certainly paid off. Canvey were now more than holding their own and this game was there for the taking. The goal came when Chris Duffy (ex Wigan man) sent over a cross from the left. It was the Wigan Kennedy (Peter) who failed to clear with his head and instead sent the ball back across his own goalmouth and into the path of Neil Gregory. Greggers made no mistake and hammered home from 10yds. Canvey fans couldn't believe it. Canvey only had to hold of for another few minutes and they would be through. Canvey did hold on and they did it in style. Another league club knows all about the Pub Team from Essex. Somebody pinch me.
Weather Conditions: Dry and bright in a magnificent stadium on a very good pitch What did you think of
today's match?
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Is there no stopping this Canvey team.
Having done more than enough to put the Island on the map in last year's FA
Cup campaign, they've only gone and done it again. This time it's
Wigan Athletic who are holding their heads in shame while the' Pub Team from
Essex' are holding their heads high.
It was always going to be a tough game for
Canvey and without Tilson (injured), Stimson (suspended), Ward (injured) and
Parmenter (injured) it looked impossible. Jeff King brought in new
boys Spencer Knight and Julian Dicks to strengthen the squad and it took
fans by surprise to see the subs bench with 28 goals between them. The
absentees forced Jeff into fielding an unusual line-up of 4-5-1.
Unconventional, but it worked.
That the scoresheet stayed clean for so long
is due largely to a superb Ashley Harrison save early in the game. de
Zeeuw put in a terrific shot from 20yds out that Ash could only
parry. It fell right to the feet of Lee McCulloch who looked certain
to score from close range, except Ashley managed to get in a terrific stop
with his feet and the moment that might have changed the game was gone.
Tony Dinning was given a red card after 41
minutes following first a foul on Bennett and then a stamping incident with
Neil Gregory. With Wigan down to 10 men Canvey had a little more room
to come forward and gradually they started to get a firmer grip on the
game. The biggest difference between the teams was not in the football
though, it was in attitude. In spite of having a tough game on their
hands, Canvey really wanted this one and they played as if they wanted a
win. Wigan, on the other, hand seemed to think that the game was their
by rights and a degree of commitment and resolve was somehow missing.
As we went deeper into the second half it was
looking like a re-run of the first. Wigan having more possession but
never able to do any real damage with it. Canvey were getting more and
more confident and the game was going from one end to the other in a frenzy
of FA Cup excitement. 
