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ANOTHER GREAT RESULT Nobody can ever argue that Canvey Island don’t give value for money. In spite of the defensive attitude of Sutton (fancy playing for a nil-nil draw at home?) Canvey kept plugging away today and although the half-time score doesn’t show it, they were easily the better team. They were the only team out there actually playing football and, but for the most uneven pitch I’ve seen all season and a set of officials who would look out of place in the Sunday league, they should have gone in for the break with two or three goals under their collective belts.
Sutton almost went into an early lead when, on 9 minutes, Danny Potter came a long way off his line to get to a long ball forward from the home midfield. He was challenged by Matt Gray some 25yds off his line and the agile No. 9 got to the ball first. With Potts off his line and an empty goal, Gray looked certain to score but, incredibly, although Gray had won the ball, he lost the plot and somehow managed to tap it out for a corner. This was Sutton’s only real attempt on goal in the first half and, after that early scare, it was virtually one way traffic. Kevin Dobinson came very close with a header on 12 minutes and Jeff Minton was unlucky to have a brilliant shot saved in the 13th. Tom Dunn was kept busy throughout the half and did very well to keep a clean sheet. He did especially well on the half-hour when a terrific cross from John Kennedy, out on the right, was heading directly for the right boot of Ollie Berquez. Had he connected he would certainly have scored, but Dunn did extremely well to get down early and cut out the cross. Away from the game but an interesting point all the same, was the way the home bench refused to kick or throw new balls on whenever one went out of the stadium. There was an embarrassing moment when a new ball was needed but only came on when the assistant referee went and collected it and threw it to the nearest player. Something that is rarely seen at this level of football. Half time Sutton 0 Canvey 0 Having put nine men behind the ball in
the first half, the second half looked as if it might go the same way. Canvey
were trying desperately to build their attacks and inevitably the ball would
come from either Chenners, Wardy or Benno and would be pushed forward to the
playmaker, Jeff Minton. From here there would be some one/two stuff in the
middle before the ball would go wide to JK and then, inevitably, the ball would
be crossed into the danger area and an attack would be set up. Sutton, on the
other hand, relied very heavily on long lobs over the Canvey midfield (and the
their own midfield, come to that)
Ollie Berquez almost opened the scoring in the 57th minute following some dogged and determined play by Mints that allowed him to come close enough to put a through ball into the area where Ollie was waiting. He hit the shot well but once again Dunn was off his line quickly and pulled off yet another good save, albeit with only one hand. From the ensuing corner there were two distinct handballs by defenders, both of which went unnoticed by stand-in referee Mr Deadman. Perhaps he was unsighted - or merely short-sighted? All Canvey got out of either infringement was another corner. The only Sutton player who was causing the Canvey defence any real worries was No. 7 Danny Bolt. He always looked lively with the ball but he had little real support. He was at his most effective from dead ball situations, although at one stage in the second half it was only a brave save at the ex-Canvey man's feet by Potter that kept him off the scoresheet.
With Canvey now being in front Sutton decided to start
playing less defensively and embark on a more open and attacking style of
football and for the first time in the game there was some justification for
their top 5 placing. They looked a much better and sharper outfit.
Suddenly the bench saw more urgency and whenever a new ball was required, it
came on very quickly. Even the ball boys were now making an effort to keep
the game going.
The game was now just a little more even handed, until the 82nd minute that is, when Jeff Minton set Neil Gregory up for a well taken drive, just inside the penalty area, that went low and to the advancing 'keepers left. Another great goal to seal another good victory. But with promotion contenders Aldershot winning by a similar margin at Kingstonian, is it too late? It certainly sets the stage for a humdinger on Tuesday. Get there early!
Match Report by Merv. Pictures by Ian.
Photos: Click on the right and left arrows above to scroll through the images. Click on any thumbnail to view it in a larger format. There are 13 images to view. If the arrow is dark there are more images to the right or left. Pictures are © Ian C. Walmsley / First Images 2003.
Ollie Berquez shields the ball from a Sutton defender
Teams
Weather Conditions: Bright and mild with just a brief shower. Pitch very uneven and bobbly. What did you think of
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Every ball that came forward bobbled and
bounced awkwardly and this didn’t suit Canvey’s touch and move style of
free-flowing football at all. No wonder Sutton seem to rely heavily on high
balls. There were so many occasions when neat touches and flick-ons that would
normally have been controlled, turned into rugby ball type bounces that nobody
could keep in check. But Canvey still gave it their best shot.
Eventually, on 68 minutes Canvey went into a well deserved
lead. It all started when another push forward by Canvey brought them deep
into the home 18yd box. The ball looked as if it might be too far in front
of Neil Gregory as it bobbled towards the bye-line but Greggers got a good hook
on it and he hammered it onto the head of Ben Chenery who was steaming into the
6yd box. The resulting header was unstoppable and it put Canvey into the
lead.
However, although Sutton were now coming forward with more
sense of urgency, they were leaving spaces at the back and so, in return, Canvey
were able to exploit that space and they too looked to be far more comfortable.
