Protheroe & Berquez Give Stimmo The Blues

Since September 24th Mark Stimson's Grays Athletic have been looking to get their revenge on Canvey after their 2-0 loss at Park Lane. Today they had the opportunity to do just that, but in all honesty they must be thinking how they only lost by one goal today.
Looking at the team-sheet prior to that game, the combination of Wayne Vaughan, Roy Essendoh & Carl Leaburn looked frightfully dangerous, but in reality they posed little threat to the Canvey defence though-out the game. The only change for Canvey's starting line-up from the 4-0 thrashing given to Basingstoke was Lee Protheroe came in for Steve Parmenter, with Neil Gregory and Micky Bennett called to the bench.

Canvey kicked things off and immediately they looked determined to go home with all three points. After only six minutes John Kennedy out wide on the right, pushed the ball past Jason Broom and sent in a cross close to the Grays Athletic goal-line. Boylan's initial shot was blocked by Jamie Lunan and Ollie Berquez's follow-up was weak and held comfortably by the Grays 'Keeper. However only ten minutes into the game Canvey were on the attack again and some nice link-up play between Chris Duffy and Kevin Dobinson resulted in Lee Protheroe being given the ball about twenty yards from goal and he thundered home a deep right-footed strike. It was the dream start that Canvey needed. Grays did have some attacks but they were easily foiled by the Canvey defence and in particular Ben Chenery who was winning every header and clearing every ball that entered the Canvey danger area.

The game was always expected to get scrappy and on twenty minutes a heavy challenge by Grays' number five, Ryan Maxwell brought down Kevin Dobinson and with a slight reaction both Maxwell & Dobbo were the first to receive yellow cards. Three minutes later and a long clearance up field landed to Adam Miller, Ashley Harrison was quick off his line but his effort to intercept the ball before Miller could make contact didn't quite work out and with Harrison eighteen yards off his line Miller lobbed the Canvey goalie to equalise for the Blues.

A minute later and Carl Leaburn nearly gave Grays a second when he challenged Ashley Harrison for an incoming cross, but the blatant foul on Ash by the ex-Premiership Striker ruled his effort out. At one-all there was everything to fight for, for both teams and all the tricks of the game were being shown today. Unfortunately for Canvey they were mostly committed by the boys in blue and the lines-man in the Grays half must have missed at least a dozen of them. The elbows from Peter Smith, the two footed lunges by Mark Stimson and the little ankle kicks given by Adam Miller all went un-noticed or ignored. As predicted Jeff Minton and John Kennedy was on the receiving end of most of these along with Lee Boylan receiving a shoulder barge or two from Steve Robinson.
Nearing half-time and Canvey attempted to up their pace a bit and Lee Protheroe was rashly brought down just in the Grays half with Peter Smith looking for 'afters' from Canvey's scorer.
With just two minutes remaining of the first-half John Kennedy, picked up a loose ball on the edge of the Grays six-yard box, but he skied his effort with a well timed block coming from Jason Broom.
On the stroke of halftime Ollie Berquez looked to get onto the score sheet when his glancing header, shaved the wrong side of Lunan's far post and rolled out of play for a goal-kick. It was one a piece but Canvey were well ahead with chances. Grays had, had about two chances and scored from one, Canvey about seven, scoring one. Grays were nothing special and the Yellow Army were confident that the second-half would reveal Canvey's true class.

Half-time: Grays Athletic 1, Canvey Island 1.

Gray's made a half-time substitution with Martin Carthy replacing Wayne Burnett in the middle of the park. But any hopes of them taking something from this game were quickly dashed when only three minutes into the second half and Jeff Minton free-kick was left by everyone in the Grays penalty area including Lunan, until it fell for Ollie Berquez at the back post, who hammered home from close range for his forth goal in five games. After this it was all Canvey, they were absolutely dominant down the right hand side with Lee Protheroe, John Kennedy & Lee Boylan all sending in crosses from the flank.

On fifty-five minutes Jeff Minton had the chance to grab Canvey's third when a cross from Boylan was hesitated by Lunan and Minton was incoming, but Lunan just beat Minton and tucked the ball safely under his body to avert any danger. Five minutes later JK had a header well-held by Lunan, there was a faint cry that the 'Keeper and ball were behind the goal-line, but the Assistant Referee had judged that only Lunan's feet were behind the line. Poor Peter Smith was being beaten everytime at the back of the Grays defence. When Lee Boylan past him just past the hour Buzz followed through with his tackle on Boylan and sent Canvey's top scorer sprawling to the ground. Smithy received a yellow card for the rash challenge. The resulting free-kick was not the best and easily cleared by the 6' 4" Robinson. The counter-attack led to Roy Essendoh 'fluffing' a chance that should've been buried. A lapse in concentration by Ashley Harrison let the ball run across the front of his penalty area and the un-marked Essendoh hit the ball first time skying a twenty-yard strike almost over the Grays Clubhouse.

This was Grays' last real chance of the game. They very rarely managed to get back into the Canvey half and when they did the solid back three of Wardy, Cheners and Gavin Cowan cleared all balls high and low from danger. Sixty-seven minutes and Jeff Minton was sandwiched between two Grays players, the resulting free-kick was taken by Protheroe but his strike was just a foot too high and it sailed over the cross-bar.

When Wayne Vaughan was at Canvey many fans thought that he wasn't getting the goals and caught offside as the other players wouldn't release the ball early enough. You would've thought that after spending two seasons at Park Lane with Vaughan, Mark Stimson would've realised this, but no, Vaughan was being caught offside again throughout today's game and Leaburn and Essendoh was dealt with comfortably by Cowan & Chenery. Peter Smith was being beaten nearly everytime, albeit he was playing out of position today. Mark Stimson was well contained by the Canvey midfield, Jeff Minton was truly showing his class against the Spurs coach and Kevin Dobinson made Adam Miller look nothing more than a school-boy in the middle of the park.

With just over twenty minutes to go Jeff King decided to bring his midfield 'General' into the game when Micky Bennett came on for Lee Protheroe. Ollie Berquez had the chance to grab his second of the game when another free-kick from Minton was again left by everyone in the Grays penalty area, but this time Berquez was a bit futher out and he over hit his shot, which also sailed over the crossbar. A minute later Lee Boylan was through one-on-one with Lunan but with Peter Smith rapidly approaching from behind Boylan was put off for a fraction of a second and his effort hit the wrong side of the post and bounced harmlessly out for a goal-kick.

On seventy-seven minutes it was Ollie Berquez again who could've doubled Canvey's advantage when he challenged Jamie Lunan for rolling ball, Lunan missed the ball and Berquez only needed to tap home for his second, but instead he miss-cued his kick and the ball sliced, hit the wrong side of the post and also went out for a goal-kick. Ten minutes to go and Mark Stimson was replaced by Fayenuwo. Stimmo still has the talent as a player, but his little deceiving digs and kicks look a lot more obvious and offensive now he plays for the opposition. Five minutes after that and another ex-Canvey man, Sammy Cooper replaced the already booked Ryan Maxwell. None of these changes had any effect as Canvey still launched waves of attacks. The best coming again from Man of the Match Jeff Minton. This time he was put through one-on-one but Lunan knew exactly where Minton was heading and closed the gap down quickly. Minton held onto the ball just a second too long and his eventual shot clipped Lunan's feet and spun off for a throw-in to Grays.

Grays did try to get back into the game, but nothing was coming off for them. To be truthful Canvey should've won by a much larger margin. Canvey were winning second balls and timing tackles to precision. They also seemed to lack a yard or so in pace to keep up with the Canvey passing and moving tactic and they were stretched right across the middle. Their three strikers weren't receiving the correct service to pull off anything spectacular and their defence rarely managed to deal with any high-balls or deep crosses. Lunan seemed hesitant on more than one occasion and lying seventeenth in the Ryman Premier Division I bet Stimmo is thinking what has he got himself into...

Full-time: Grays Athletic 1, Canvey Island 2.

Match Report by Matt.

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