|
|||||||||
|
| ||||||||||
|
OH DEAR! JUST WHEN
WE THOUGHT WE If there’s one thing that seems to annoy the faithful fans more than anything else, it’s Canvey’s inconsistency. Fair enough, the team got off to a bad start and lost several matches. At one point we were propping up the rest of the table. But then, it seems, our fortunes turned around. We came good at last. The fans’ faith in the team had been restored. It all started with six of the best at Aylesbury, then, with only 10 men against Hendon, the same group of lads played their socks off and scored another four. They were a delight to watch. Last Saturday, in a quick follow-on, Canvey continued their drive, effort and enthusiasm with an open, stylish demolition of Heybridge Swifts. With 14 goals under their collective belt in three games, fans were optimistically looking forward to a good performance against the mighty Aldershot. Not necessarily a win, just a good performance. Sadly, it didn’t happen. Well, not until the 75th minute and by then it was too late. For so much of the game, the flair and panache witnessed at Park Lane during the previous 180 minutes was simply not there. As a result, Aldershot (who are good, but not that good) took the three points with a header that went in (only just) after a ricochet off the crossbar. For the first 45 minutes Canvey more than held their own. They were at least as strong as the home side in every department and the game, although lacking in any spectacular action, was entertaining enough. Canvey kept their ‘four at the back’ formation and they looked pretty tight. Danny Potter had little to test him and, on a superb looking grassy pitch, the game was played at a fast pace. But neither team seemed to have a game plan. There was lots of pumping long balls into the opponents half and waiting to see what might come of it - and both teams were equally as guilty - but nobody was creating anything approaching ‘sexy’ football. However, the ball did swing from end to end and whenever Gregory or Brayley was chasing after it, the excitement was there, even if it was brought to an abrupt end by a good clearance, usually by Aldershot’s man of the match Karl Ready. It was only in the last 15 minutes of the game that Canvey regained their ‘let’s tear ‘em apart’ attitude, but it didn’t pay off as the home defence was too strong and the ball just would not bounce for the visitors in the right places. Shot’s took the lead on 14 minutes following their first real assault on Potter’s goal. Canvey conceded a corner and Dave Carroll’s cross found the head of Jason Cousins on the edge of the 6yd box. The ball appeared to hit the crossbar, drop to the ground and then away, but Mr Johnson, the assistant referee, flagged to say it had crossed the line and so it was all back to the centre circle to start again. The atmosphere is always electric at the Recreation Ground and Canvey do seem to be the team that everyone wants to beat. With the crowd behind them Aldershot looked more comfortable but, in truth, they rarely looked like extending their lead. Against Heybridge Canvey pumped the ball forward to the head of Greggers and he was able to lay it off to whoever was in support. Last night, that support didn’t seem to be there and whenever a long ball was collected, there were at least two defenders ready to clear away. Canvey found more success when the service came from threaded passes and crosses. Like the one on 20 minutes when Chris Duffy found Greggers on the edge of the box, but Canvey’s top scorer appeared to scuff his shot and Nikki Bull, in the Shot’s goal, had no difficulty in saving. Canvey’s best effort of the half came from the industrious Bertie Brayley who, on the half-hour, was only a few centimetres wide when he collected a Greggers nod-on and, with the ball at his feet and plenty of space, unleashed a powerful shot that beat the keeper, but was just wide of the far post. The first half finished with both teams about level on points, but Aldershot one goal in front. Unfortunately in a game of football points do not mean prizes. Half time Aldershot 1 Canvey 0 Aldershot came out for the second half looking far more determined and whenever there was a 50/50 ball, they won it. Whenever there was a headed clearance from defence, it fell to a red shirt. Whenever there was a loose ball, Shot’s got there first. Canvey appeared to be finding it difficult to bring any fire into their game. Distribution of the ball from the back was generally poor and even when the ball did get upfield, the well organised Aldershot defence dealt with it quickly and efficiently. It seemed that there was nobody from Canvey who could read the game and take a grip on its direction. One or two players were making silly mistakes and it’s lucky that Shot’s weren’t able to capitalize on them. Wardy did his usual job at the back (thank goodness) and JK was running all over the place, but there was no wizard on the field to create any magic. And that’s what the performance, thus far, sadly lacked. Canvey started to give away far too many free-kicks with some sloppy play and the handful of travelling fans held their breath at every set-piece. We all know how vulnerable we are to balls that get to the far post. But in fairness to the defence, they did their job and did it well. Eventually Jeff decided to introduce some fresh legs (and some fresh ideas?) and on came Spencer Knight for Kevin Dobinson quickly followed by Lee Boylan for Scott Forbes. What a difference it made. Suddenly Canvey came to life. If only they could have done this half an hour earlier! Space was being created, players were winning the ball and Aldershot were being given the run-around. Jeff Minton was feeding Spencer Knight who was sending over some terrific crosses. Chris Duffy got his second wind and he too was splitting the defence in half with his through balls. The assault had started but, to coincide with Canvey stepping up that all important gear, the home defence pulled out all the stops and it has to be said, with a degree of good fortune, the home goal could not be breached. We saw, in those last minutes of the game, just how terrific Canvey can be when they are in this sort of mood. On the long journey back around the M25 the Yellow Army were wondering why they can’t do it more often or with more regularity. We all saw how Gravesend last season and Farnborough before that were totally consistent throughout the season. That's what won them promotion. Let's look forward to the last 15 minutes of this game carrying over to next Saturday's fixture at Hampton and Richmond? Match Report by Merv Teams
Weather Conditions: . What did you think of
today's match?
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
