Away Day Blues

A Bank Holiday in Basingstoke, who could ask for more? The traditional Bank Holiday chill and reared it's ugly head and the action on the pitch was just as bad, for Canvey picked up their third defeat in four games.

Basingstoke are riding high in the league, (3rd) with the Gulls hanging just below mid-table. Chris Duffy returned to the squad after a three match suspension, Ashley Harrison was called up to the bench after returning fresh(?) from his Honeymoon and Paul Cobb was brought in, in favour of Lee Boylan (why?!).

Canvey kitted out in their new Away strip began lively and the 'Blue Army' were expecting more of last Saturday's pleasant action. John Kennedy had a great opportunity to put Canvey one-nil up after just a few minutes when a Lee Protheroe cross into the penalty area was parried away to the edge of the box where it fell to JK. Kennedy was quickly pounced on by defenders but not before rifling a shot just over Scott Tarr's goal.

Thirteen minutes in and it was Basingstoke who took the lead. A little bit of ping-pong ensued to the left of the Canvey penalty area and no-one managed to get a full clearance. Eventually it fell to Neville Roach who made a run at goal evading the Canvey defence and let rip a thunderous shot the rocketed past Danny Potter and into the back of the net. The most Canvey fans could hope for was that this was deja vue from Saturday afternoon and not Tuesday night. Like two days ago, Canvey upped the pace straight after conceding the goal and not about twenty minutes later.

The Basingstoke defence pulled out the artillery and not a single Canvey attack troubled the backline or 'Sausages' for the rest of the half. Canvey should have been awarded a blatant penalty just four minutes before half time when a long ball down the right was chased by John Kennedy into the penalty area. JK jumped to the ball to bring it under control but 'Stoke's Ricky Allaway had other ideas. He too went up but rather to take the man rather than the ball. JK landed on the floor with a sickening thud while Allaway fell to the ground cradling his head. The incident was about two yards IN-side the penalty area, but the Referee ordered a free-kick two yards OUT-side the box. Kennedy soon staggered to his feet but he required stitches in a cut under his eye at half-time. The resulting free-kick was a poor one and was easily cleared by the Basingstoke defensive wall.

On the stroke of half-time Roach got his second of the game. A Canvey attack in the penalty area inside the box was half cleared and it fell to Micky Bennett on the halfway line. However Benno rather carelessly lost possession to Roach who was through on goal one-on-one with Danny Potter. Neville Roach struck the ball under the advancing Potter to score 'Stoke's second and Canvey found themselves two-nil down at halftime for the third time this season.

Halftime - Basingstoke Town 2 Canvey Island 0.

Canvey came out at half-time with a bit more spring in their step. They played a lot more direct, possession football and looked dangerous going forward. Fifty-five minutes gone and Chris Duffy made his first appearance of this season's campaign replacing Lee Protheroe and inter-changing wings with Scott Forbes throughout the half.

Just past the hour Canvey were finally awarded a penalty, when Ricky Allaway was judged to have handled the ball in the box, (this was the only hand-ball that the Ref did see of the many that were committed by both teams throughout the second-half). Neil Gregory placed the ball on the spot and fired home past 'Sausages' into the bottom corner of the goal. Basingstoke almost immediately replied with a third when a brave solo effort by Craig McAllister found the side-netting.

Four minutes later and disaster struck for Basingstoke's Toby Sumner. Sumner going forward to support a 'Stoke attack went in for a sandwich tackle and came off worse, having to be carried off on a stretcher and replaced by number 15, Danny Layton.

With fifteen minutes to go and Paul Cobb, who had played a dreadful game was rightly replaced by the real strike hero Lee Boylan. Rumour has it that Boylan was dropped in favour of Cobb as the management were unhappy with his recent displays! Well I'm sure after today's performance, Jeff & Glenn will re-think their choice of attackers. Boylan brought the game to life and immediately got the players and the 'Blue Army' going. He made an instant impact with some powerful runs down each wing, putting some dangerous looking crosses into the penalty area. But either there was no-one on hand to put the ball away or the cross was headed away by the seriously on-form Basingstoke defence.

Canvey should have had another penalty go their way in the last ten minutes when Lee Boylan was through one-on-one with Scott Tarr, however he had a defender hot on his heels and while he was almost rounding Tarr he was pushed to the ground by the pursuing defender and the Ref chose to ignore the protests. The Ref was just the same for 'Stoke too though. He missed countless hand-balls, most guilty of these was David Gregory who I saw put hand-to-ball at least three times. So the Ref was equally diabolical for each side.

During today's game Canvey were guilty just as they had been countless times in the past of just trying to walk the ball into the goal. While Canvey were fluffing around with the ball at their feet on the edge of the box, it was giving time for the Basingstoke players to come together and reinforce their penalty area. With Steve Parmenter out for a while with his broken ankle their wasn't really anyone on the field willing to have a dig at goal from twenty-yards out. Only JK had, had one such shot during the opening minutes and Jeff Minton's eighty-eight minute replacement Jason Dozzell had Canvey's final shot of the game thundering an eighteen yard shot about two feet over the bar.

Canvey succumbed to their third defeat in four games and their were obvious signs at the end of today's game of the Canvey supporters finally losing their faith in the team. Their were a few supporters driven away from Park Lane due to the £9 entrance fee, but even some of the Canvey faithful aren't returning to home games simply because of the dreadful start the Ryman Premier title favourites have made. Get it together Canvey before our attendances return to three men and a dog and we join Harlow in Ryman Divison 1 North!!!

Full time - Basingstoke Town 2 Canvey Island 1.

Match Report by Matt.

Weather Conditions:  Chilly with a slight drizzle.

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