Canvey can't see through the Hayes...

The new 2002/03 season kicked of for the Premiership and Non-League today. For Canvey it was a trip to Church Road, Hayes. This is the first time the Clubs had met and with Hayes freshly relegated from the Conference last year an entertaining game was expected.

Despite having five players unavailable for today's fixture the squad for the game was almost unrecognisable from last season. Seven of the ten new signings were named, four in the starting line-up. Ashley Harrison was away on his Honeymoon, so Dean Greygoose started between the sticks. Steve Ward was on his annual Summer Holiday, Chris Duffy was serving a three match suspension, Matt Jones was out with a broken arm and Ollie Adedeji was also injured. Also new to this season was the ability to name five substitutes and Canvey called Bertie Brayley, Paul Cobb, Kevin Dobinson, Jason Dozzell and Glen Johnson up to the bench.

The Yellow Army was rather thinned out today but were in fine voice for most of the game. With the Sun radiating down on the ground the season was ready to get underway.

Both teams started the game well and new-season nerves were quickly overcome. For the first twenty minutes there was full flowing football from both teams with neither side really gaining an advantage over the other. The ball was played around the centre of the park but neither side could build up a suitable attack. About halfway through the first half Canvey begun to gain the upper-hand and Scott Forbes, Lee Boylan and newly named Captain Neil Gregory working well together. On twenty-six minutes Hayes countered a Canvey attack and broke away quickly. Kevin Warner was steaming into the penalty area and thought he had been unfairly tackled on his way to the box and was booked for dissent by the referee more than anything else. Two minutes later Canvey struck up another attack and Lee Boylan with a defender hot on his heels almost made it through on goal before being pulled down near the penalty spot, but the cries from the Canvey crowd went un-noticed by Mr. Tincknell and a penalty was turned down. If this penalty had been awarded the outcome of this game could have been totally different. Canvey, fired up after having a lot of possession used Scott Forbes and Steve Parmenter well on the wings and the Hayes defence looked shaky and nervous. One such hesitation gave the advantage of a corner to Canvey on thirty-five minutes and Scott Forbes's perfect cross took a deflection and found the incoming David Gregory, but his effort hit the foot of the post and was cleared.

Hayes's one decent shot of the first half came on forty-three minutes and lead to a goal much against the run of play. After a shoulder-to-shoulder tackle between Steve Parmenter and a Hayes attacker, a blatant goal-kick was awarded as a corner to Hayes and the resulting cross was flapped by Dean Greygoose before leading to a goalmouth scramble. The final Hayes shot hit the inside of the post, bounced out and the rebound hit Justin Cochrane's thigh andlandedin the back of the net. Greygoose was still stranded on the floor. Canvey were one-nil down and that was the least the Yellow Army were expecting. On the stroke of half-time Micky Bennett was put into the referees book for a harsh decision against him. The referee obviously made one rule for Canvey and another for Hayes (and one of their supporters had the cheek to claim he lived in one of Jeff's Caravans!!)

Half-time - Hayes 1 Canvey Island 0.

The second half started on a higher gear than the first and the game almost began to turn scrappy, with David Gregory being booked for a foul just outside the Canvey penalty area.

Canvey had another penalty decision go against them just past the hour mark. Lee Boylan almost one-on-one with Hayes 'keeper Sean O'Conner was pushed to the ground in the penalty area and once again the Yellow Army called for justice but it was not to be. A minute later Adam Miller had Canvey's best chance yet as a half-volley from just inside the area curved a few feet wide of the goal.

On sixty-five minutes Dean Greygoose pulled of a superb save to deny the Hayes a second flicking the ball over the cross-bar from around twenty-yards out. But to rub salt into the wounds the follow-up corner was once again flapped at by the stranded Greygoose and Justin Cochrane was on hand to nod it into the top corner of the net. Two-nil to Hayes! Who would have predicted that?!

Two-nil up Hayes decided to keep the game at that and brought on Richard Jolly for David Warner. Two minutes later however, Canvey were on the attack again and a ball managed to find Steve Parmenter just inside the penalty area for him to score a spectacular lob, his first of the season and hand Canvey a lifeline. Finding their feet again Canvey replaced the ever energetic Lee Boylan with new, young Striker Bertie Brayley. Brayley looked hungry and was certainly willing to fight for the ball and position himself well to help out the Canvey attackers. Hayes also made a double substitution with Ryan Williams and Mike Molesley replacing scorer Justin Cochrane and Ian Hodge.

With three players up front Canvey were finding their feet again and beginning to string together several passes with Scott Forbes and John Kennedy regaining the width that Canvey had lost through-out the half. Seven minutes to go and Captain Neil Gregory was replaced by former Ipswich & Spurs star Jason Dozzell who was unlucky not to have a few good goes at goal himself. With the game heading into injury time. Canvey threw on another attacker in the form of Paul Cobb, who substituted for Neil's older brother David. Cobb also looked ready to fight but time was running out for the Gulls. Hayes were pulling men back, behind the ball and attempted to hold the ball while doing the odd act of time wasting. Cramp here, bootlace tying there. It was too late for Canvey now though and their opening day finished much like the players and supporters alike; exhausted and rather miffed.

Today's game had reminiscences of the Canvey/Farnborough opener of two seasons ago. So the questions are will Hayes bounce straight back up into the Conference? We'll just see where they are the end of October, and if Canvey continue this form for there upcoming games where will we finish in this League? Top ten? Just get Wardy back for Christ's sake!!!

Full-time Hayes 2  Canvey Island 1.


Match Report by Matt.

Weather Conditions:  Bright, sunny & very hot! (92°C)

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