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DUFFY FLUKE SAVES THE DAY Jeff King said, in a BBC Essex interview after today's game, "...but we're playing good football." Perhaps the view that Jeff had from the scaffolding next to the dug-out gives a better perspective than we fans get behind the goal but, sadly, I didn't see quite as much of the good football that Jeff obviously did. So much of what I saw was poor, a lot of it was disjointed and some of it was even scrappy - sorry! But if you play badly, with a poor referee and still win, albeit with a fluke goal, than you must ride your luck and make the best of it. It certainly compensates for all those times when you play a blinder but come away with no points at all. The Canvey line-up raised a few eyebrows when it was announced before the game, but what fans may not have realised is that, in spite of a squad of 25, Canvey are still suffering from a fitness problem that meant at least half a dozen players were unavailable Even then, Chris Duffy was in the starting line-up although he is not 100% and Steve Parmenter came on with 5 minutes to go, in spite of not being match fit. What excuse other players had remains to be seen. Once again there was very little passion, hardly any imagination and few real answers to a mediocre Maidenhead who came ready to chase, battle and fight. When the game started fans were treated to some good end to end football, Forbes coming close to converting a Duffy cross at one end and then Richard O'Connor replying by forcing Potter to make a good save at the other end only seconds later. Then Neil Gregory almost opened the scoring with a superb header on 17 minutes, quickly followed by Maidenhead's Ryan Ashe committing the miss of the game just one minute later. How Ashe didn't score with only Potter to beat must remain a mystery. Fortunately however, Danny Potter was on top form today, something he proved seconds later when he did well to save another certain goal, this time from Lawrence Yaku. Both teams were creating plenty of chances and it always looked as if there would be a fistful of goals. Adeoye looked the most dangerous player for Maidenhead but there was no single Canvey player who looked to be on fire, at least not until Lee Boylan came on after 63 minutes. Every time the ball was pushed forward to him he put the visiting defence under pressure but on so many occasions he collected the ball, turned, beat his man only to find that he had no support. Although there was goalmouth action at both ends, there was little flowing football and little to lift the crowd. In fact the atmosphere at Park Lane was rather dismal, apart from the handful of visiting supporters who cheered and chanted all afternoon. Canvey fans never really got into anything resembling party mood until the last 15 minutes. Canvey's first goal came about following a Lee Protheroe set piece on the half-hour. Canvey were awarded a free-kick some 30 yards out. Proths sent in a powerful, low shot that was blocked by the defensive wall. But luck was in when it fell nicely for Bertie Brayley, just on the edge of the penalty area. Bertie controlled the ball well before hammering home his sixth goal of the season. The goal lifted Canvey for the remaining 15 minutes of the first half but there was still a lack of cohesion and, surprisingly, a lack of pace up front. Fans knew why John Kennedy wasn't playing (suspension) but couldn't understand why Lee Boylan was having to watch the proceedings from the subs bench. Half time Canvey Island 1 Maidenhead 0 All credit to Maidenhead, in spite of being one down, they came out from the break and immediately stepped their game up. They scored two goals in a ten minute spell and both came from No. 8 Ibraheem Adeoye. The first was a good effort and came about following some good football played to feet, across the Canvey danger area. Eventually the ball came to Adeoye who fired home from 12 yds. Jeff Minton had another good game today and he forced the visiting 'keeper Nick Hart to make a good save on 52 minutes when he sent in powerful low drive. Hart couldn't collect the ball cleanly and he spilt it to Gregory who was lurking nearby but Hart was quick enough to nick it off Gregger's foot, just as he was teeing up his shot. Only a minute later and it was the Ginger Sex God (coming forward quite regularly today) who sent in a nice cross to Greggers but on this occasion Canvey's top scorer couldn't make a first touch connection and the moment was lost. Not content to be back on level terms, Maidenhead kept battling away and on 57 minutes they got their reward by means of a simple goal to take them into the lead. It was a long ball out from deep that split the Canvey defence in half. Canvey pulled up for a possible off-side but Adeoye (again) decided not to hang around for the linesman to make up his mind, he went straight for goal and found himself in acres of space in a one-on-one with Danny Potter. Potter stood no chance and the visitors were in the lead. Maidenhead had their reward for running at the Canvey defence and for exploiting the gaping holes that were being left at the back. Sometimes in this game you need a stroke of luck and today it was Chris Duffy's turn to be on the receiving end. No. 11 Andy Morley thought he had made a terrific clearance just in front of his own goal. However, noting the position of the goalkeeper, timing his lunge perfectly and calculating just the correct degree of ricochet, Duffers intercepted the clearance with perfection and saw the ball fly into the air with just the right amount of curl to go over the keepers head and into the empty net. Some called it a fluke but I don't suppose Duffers was too bothered. It was a goal and it brought Canvey back to level terms. Now that Lee Boylan was on the pitch, things were looking up for Canvey and the talented striker kept getting onto the end of all sorts of long balls. What a pity that there was so little support to turn his chances into goals. He did go it alone on a couple of occasions and on 80 minutes he was very unlucky to see a good effort blocked by Hart's legs before bouncing away behind the goal and to safety - for the time being! From the resulting corner the keeper could only manage to punch the ball out, straight into the path of Lee Protheroe who was unmarked, just on the edge of the 18 yd box. With his left foot, Proths hammered home the sort of volley that either lands up somewhere in the back of the car park, or somewhere in the back of the net. This time it was the net. A great goal and, as it turned out, a winning goal. Being in the lead suited Canvey and they played some of their best football up to the final whistle. Steve Parmenter came on to a terrific reception and looked to be sharp and hungry. Wardy kept coming forward and Minton took control of the middle. But it was all a bit too late. But never mind, it was a win and it was another three points. But it wasn't really a satisfying 90 minute performance. Maidenhead may have been just two positions below Canvey in this morning's league table but, in truth, they didn't look that good. So why couldn't Canvey take control of this game early on and run rings around them? Injury may have something to do with it but fans around me were still wondering when the passion and dogged determination of previous seasons will return. Still, perhaps the luck already has. Match Report by Merv. Teams
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