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THE GULLS JUST KEEP SOARING Another three points, another terrific performance and another emphatic victory in a local derby. The Canvey revival just keeps going and that awful start to the season now seems so long ago. If only Canvey could have started the season with this calibre of football. They dominated the first half and then, reduced to ten men, dug in and defended their lead for most of the second. A local derby is always a needle match and with Grays fielding three regular favourites from Canvey's 2001/02 squad - Peter Smith, Adam Miller and Mark Stimson - there was plenty at stake - especially when you consider that the trio clocked up 27 yellow and 3 red cards between them last season. All night long referee, Mr Vosper (why do referees and their assistants never have first names?), struggled to keep a lid on things but the two sendings off demonstrates what a difficult task he had. Canvey started well and with three strikers all keen to get involved in the action, ex-Canvey 'keeper Mel Capleton was busy from early on. He saved a certain goal from Lee Boylan after he was set up by Bertie Brayley on 9 minutes and then continued to command his penalty area as Canvey mounted assault after assault. Grays were forced to concede five corners in as many minutes and Bertie Brayley was managing to drop each one onto the edge of the 6yd box. Again it was Capleton's agility that kept the Canvey strikers at bay. The pressure was mounting for the visiting defence and they had little answer for the slick, neat footwork that Canvey were creating. This was some of Canvey's best football. It was almost sexy! Grays share of the action was coming mostly through set pieces. They rarely played the ball into the Canvey danger area and apart from one or two efforts, they didn't look too dangerous. The support was there from Stimson, but Adam Miller had a very low-key performance and nothing was being created from the midfield that the forwards could develop. Canvey had new signing Ross Johnson on parade tonight and it was a very successful debut for the ex-Daggers defender. He was sure-footed on the deck and dominant in the air - he will certainly be an asset over the coming season. With Steve Ward and Ben Chenery alongside, the Canvey defence looked rock-solid. But it was when Johnson came forward to take long throw-ins that he looked especially dangerous. From the touch-line he was dropping the ball onto Neil Gregory's head right inside the 6yd box. The Grays' defence also looked solid and with Peter Smith on top form, Canvey just couldn't make that final dent, that final breakthrough. It was almost half time when, from a throw in out on the left, the ball came over towards the near post for Neil Gregory. But just as Greggers jumped up, No. 5 Owen Coll pulled him to the floor. Mr Vosper was on hand to see the offence and pointed to the spot. It was a very important kick for Lee Boylan to take, but he did so with calmness and determination. Capleton did get a hand to the ball, but it was struck far too hard for him to save and so Boylan took his season's tally to five. Half Time Canvey 1 Grays 0 Grays continued their long ball tactics after the restart and the Canvey defence continued to keep them out. Meanwhile the Canvey attack kept pushing forward and making runs into Capleton's territory. Both wings were being used and the ball crossed from one flank to the other with regularity. It was when the ball was out on the left that Canvey won a free-kick, some 30yds out. Scott Forbes took the kick and sent the ball right into the middle of the penalty area. Several players went up for the ball but it was Bertie Brayley who got the all-important touch and he managed to nod the ball on for Neil Gregory, lurking just past the far post. In a move reminiscent of his goal against Heybridge, Greggers hammered the ball on the full volley and it slammed into the far corner of the net; Capleton standing helpless in the middle. Two-nil to Canvey. From the restart things quickly got out of hand. Mark Stimson and John Kennedy both went up for a high ball and in a nasty clash of heads it was JK who got the cut to his head and Stimmo who got the yellow card. In the following ugly fracas players rushed in from all over the pitch and all kinds of jostling and posturing went on but, fortunately, it settled down quite quickly. But from this point on the tackles became that bit sharper and a lot meaner. But there was nothing mean about a challenge by Micky Bennett just a few minutes later. He went in for a ball late and caught his opponent's ankle. Foul, no doubt. Yellow card, possibly. But Mr Vosper amazed everyone by showing Benno a straight red card. No doubt he was fooled by the prostrate figure of a Grays player on the floor not rubbing his ankle as you would expect, but in a Rivaldo like performance, rubbing his head and rolling in agony. The ref. was taken in by the charade and Benno had to walk. Now down to ten men, Canvey dug in and resisted the temptation to try too much more of the clever stuff. They defended their lead and stood solid against a Grays attack that went up a gear and started throwing everything forward. Earlier in the season the defence might have caved in at this point, or be forced into making silly mistakes. But not tonight. Everybody was on top form and try as they might, the visitors just couldn't find a way through. Alex Fiddes thought he might be through when Adam Miller sent a ball through to him in space on the edge of the Canvey penalty area, but Danny Potter came out quickly and made a brave save at the No. 6's feet. Andy Douglas was doing his best to try and break through and get on the scoresheet, but although he had lots of balls aimed at him he was not getting any support and failed to make any real impact. Tempers were still running hot when Owen Coll received his first yellow card on 71 minutes and his second on 78. He too had to walk and so, for the last 12 minutes of the game, Grays were also down to ten men. This balanced things up to a certain extent and the game eventually played out with both teams making occasional forays into the other's goal areas, but the two-nil win to Canvey becoming more and more predictable. Another entertaining derby game with the result going Canvey's way. A just result and suitable reward for having more imagination, more skill and more determination to win. Let's hope the mood continues on Saturday for the FA Cup game against Folkestone Invicta.
Match Report by Merv. Teams
Weather Conditions: Dry and mild. What did you think of
today's match?
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