THE UNBEATEN RUN COMES TO AN END
BUT WHAT AN END

The superb run of 27 games without defeat came to an end today at Turf Moor and although the defeat puts Canvey out of the FA Cup for this year, the performance was terrific - something to tell the grandchildren about.  The opposition was tough but Canvey gave almost as good as they got and demonstrated what a talented and skilled outfit they really are.  The football was a joy to watch and the way the Burnley fans stood to applaud Canvey off the field of play demonstrated that I wasn't the only one who thought so.

At the start of this game Burnley were 92 places higher than Canvey in the football pyramid.  Well, for the first 20 minutes I simply couldn't believe it, although I'll have to admit (perhaps grudgingly) that in the final 20 minutes the difference did become clearer.  The atmosphere at Turf Moor was electric and although the home fans were louder than the visitors - they did outnumber them by 20:1 - they couldn't match the Essex boys in their enthusiasm or non-stop chanting, cheering and singing.  It's a strange phenomenon that I have noticed at the football league grounds we have visited 'up north' that the home fans wolf-whistle the opposition when they start singing loudly.  Burnley fans, like their cousins at Wigan, did a lot of whistling this afternoon.  The support was fantastic from the west stand and this had the effect of lifting the team and they played some of the best football I have ever seen them play.

There were several early corners for Canvey and the first shot on goal was a great effort by Adam Miller who was unlucky to see his effort curl just outside the post.  Burnley took a while to understand the level of football played at the top of the Ryman League and I think it came as something of a surprise to players and fans alike that the standard is so high.  I don't think they were ready for the gifted  combination of John Kennedy and  Adam Miller, or Steve Ward who was an absolute giant at the back.

Where Burnley were good was on the counter attack.  They gradually settled down and allowed Canvey to come and attack them before mounting a blitzkrieg counter attack that was pacey and dangerous, non more so than when Glen Little was involved.  Would Julian Dicks have stopped this dynamo if he had been in the team?  Perhaps, but he would have to have caught him first.

The absent Canvey players today might have made a difference, but that is a point to be discussed in the Canvey pubs over the coming weeks.  But it must have been a decided handicap for Jeff King to choose his team knowing that he would be without Julian Dicks, Steve Tilson, Mick Bodley, Peter Smith or Neil Gregory.

Burnley went into the lead after 23 minutes when Ian Moore collected a good through ball as he ran into the Canvey penalty area on the right.  Ben Chenery did his best to keep him at bay but he still managed to get in a good low cross, aimed at Gareth Taylor who was running into the 6yd box.  Steve Ward did well to keep the ball away from Taylor but his clearance fell to Glen Little who was lurking on the penalty spot and he made no mistake hammering home with his left foot. 

The goal settled Burnley and being in the lead gave them the opportunity to relax, just a little, and their play improved as a result.  But although Canvey were down, they certainly weren't out.  They didn't drop their heads but got straight back into the game and continued to give it their best shot.  The team of butchers, bakers and candle-stick makers (sorry, window cleaner didn't rhyme!) still wanted some of the action.  They demonstrated that they were able to hold the ball well and make telling passes.  They kept their cool and the Canvey style of sexy football was alive and well.

Just before half time there was a two minute spell when the ball rarely left the Burnley penalty area.  The passing was slick but so strong was the Burnley defence that Canvey just couldn't tee up a shot on goal.  It came over at head height, knee height, just behind players or just to their side, but never where it could be hit home.  It all started when Chris Duffy got the ball into the Burnley area but his shot was cleared, but only as far as John Kennedy out on the right.  JK crossed and the ball was well chested down by Mark Stimson. He held onto it long enough to give it back to JK who, by now, was charging into the penalty area.  He collected the ball and pushed it forward to Duffy, just in front of goal.  For a second time Duffers' shot was blocked but this time the it flew away to the left where it was collected by Spencer Knight.  He sent over a dangerous looking cross and, with six Burnley defenders in the penalty area, plus the 'keeper, the ball was cleared... but only as far a Lee Boylan who knocked it out to Stimson.  Stimmo put the ball back to Boylan but his volley was too high and Canvey's best spell of the game was over.

By reply, Canvey were dealt a severe blow when Burnley broke away and scored again to give them a two goal cushion to take into the half-time  break.  Spencer Knight was judged to have fouled Ian Moore just outside the penalty area and although Knight protested his innocence to Mr Pugh, the referee, claiming that Moore had pulled him by the sleeve, the video replay seems to suggest that Mr Pugh was correct in his judgement.  Little took the free-kick and Ian Moore rose to head home from short range - the worst possible time to concede a goal but still Canvey were not dejected. 

At half-time Jeff King and Glenn Pennyfather took their players into the dressing room and, as I was told later, praised them for their valiant efforts so far.  They were told to go back out and do some more of the same.  And that is just what they did.  They continued to be positive, to fight for every ball, to chase everything and continue to close down the Burnley forwards who were, by now, playing with much more confidence.

The second half saw Ian Moore head over early on from a Little cross and this was the pre-cursor for a much more dangerous series of Burnley attacks.  Little was always dangerous when he was on the break and Ian Moore is obviously a player of real class.  Kevin Ball caused Ashley Harrison a scare when he was put through for a one on one but Ash, who had another of his faultless games, came off his line quickly and pulled off a terrific save at the feet of the No. 4.  Burnley were coming forward more and more but it must be said that Canvey were not getting the rub of the green and Lady Luck appeared to have deserted them.

For Canvey, Adam Miller kept fighting for every ball and Mark Stimson was like a rock.  He dominated the middle of the park and was Canvey's chief play-maker.  Boylan kept coming close and JK must have run several miles as he kept moving from forward to back until, just before the end of the game, he looked totally exhausted.  It was on 65 minutes that Adam Miller started a terrific run through the middle of the park and he refused to allow anyone to take the ball off him.  Eventually he pushed it wide to the left where Spencer Knight was able to run on to it.  He beat his defender beautifully as he cut in from the edge of the box before sending the perfect pass into the path of Lee Boylan, just a few yards in front of goal.  Boylan sidefooted the ball into the net and suddenly the game was back within reach.

Canvey's goal certainly lifted the spirits of the players and the fans alike, but in trying to get the game back on level terms Canvey were forced to keep coming forward and this had the effect of leaving them just a bit vulnerable at the back.  The inevitable happened and on  78 minutes Ian Moore got his second goal of the afternoon when he was let into the Canvey danger area and he hit home from close range, putting the ball outside of Harrison's reach and into the far corner of the net.  Then, about ten minutes later, Moore got his hat-trick when he connected well with a cross from the right was pushed back to him and he connected with a shot  that was simply unstoppable.  It  was a just reward for Moore himself as he played so well - a mystery why he wasn't given the Burnley Man of the Match award.  But the score of 4 - 1 was certainly not a true reflection the game and the partisan Burnley fans around me were happy to agree that fact.

The biggest difference in the game was that Burnley had half a dozen real chances in front of goal and they converted four of them.  Canvey also had half a dozen chances in front of goal but only managed to convert one.  The Burnley defence was tight and secure whereas the Canvey defence had one or two holes in it.  In midfield both teams had their moments of brilliance but in front of goal Burnley were the better team.  As the game ran into the last ten minutes Burnley's fitness and strength in depth started to show and they were now, (for the first time all afternoon?) running the game.  Unusually for Canvey they were looking tired at the end of a tough game, but, let's be fair, they were up against guys who play this sport every single day, not just at the end of the regular day job.  But, to their credit, Canvey still managed to hang in and when the final whistle went they must have met it with a certain degree of relief.  But they had fought their corner well, so well that just about every Burnley fan in the ground stood to applaud these plucky lads from Essex.  The travelling Yellow Army stood and cheered as if they had been the victors, such was their admiration for this tremendous performance by the Pub Team from Essex. 

Now it's back to the bread and butter stuff on non-league football.  There's the small question of the Ryman Premier league to win, the FA Trophy to defend and all the other minor cups that proliferate this level of the game.  One week it's Burnley at Turf Moor, the next it's Southend Manor at Park Lane.  Ah well, that's football.

Match Report by Merv, Stats by Matt & Photos by Ian

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