Canvey Island 1-2 East Thurrock United

From the Prospects Stadium

Ryman Premier Division

 

EAST Thurrock United made it five wins from six against rivals Canvey Island as a Simon Peddie goal proved the difference in a game of few chances.

Peddie scored midway through the second half after goals from Reece Harris and Joe Carter had seen the sides go in level at the break.

The visitors started well in a whirlwind opening to the match.

A quick break saw Lewis Smith freed in the left channel and he took one touch before cutting inside and drilling at goal. However, Tim Brown – in front of his watching parent club West Ham United – pushed the ball to safety at the second attempt.

Danny Heale handed a first start to giant Nigerian striker Enoch Showunmi and he was involved in the action inside the first ten minutes.

The striker controlled a ricochet and, after his first shot was blocked, he smashed the follow up at goal only for David Hughes to turn the ball aside at the near post.

But, with ten minutes played, a bizarre incident saw the first goal of the match.

A short corner saw Smith square to Reece Harris and his looped effort seemed to be spinning over the bar but it deceived everyone and dropped in.

Brown wasn't far off his goal line and at first no-one celebrated - with the home players claiming the ball had gone over the crossbar and hit the hoardings.

But the referee, after a pause, gave the goal.

Despite conceding such a poor goal, Canvey came back strongly. Mike Jones headed just off target while Showunmi was denied a certain goal by a terrific Tom Stephen block.

But Rocks grew in confidence as the half went on and, despite Canvey having more of the ball, it was the away side who were creating the better chances.

Firstly, Mitchell Gilbey saw his shot narrowly miss the target after a great burst into the box before 16-goal Sam Higgins was denied by Brown.

But as the half came to a close, Canvey grabbed an equaliser and it will be another one the goalkeeper won’t want to see again.

Dan Carter’s low free-kick beat a host of players, and David Hughes to nestle in the middle of the goal.

The second half started slowly, with the Gulls playing the neater football and the first real chance of the half saw the next goal.

With 20 minutes to go, a deep corner from Stephen found the unmarked Simon Peddie at the far post and, despite Brown’s best efforts, he couldn’t stop the ball crossing the line.

Canvey tried to fight back but were struggling against a stubborn away defence. Ben Marlow shot straight at Hughes while the marauding Carter was denied a penalty after a strong challenge by Paul Goodacre.

Canvey Island: Brown, King (Mitchell), Carter, Marlow, Jones, Easterford, Simmons (Osobu), Chatting. Showunmi, Agyakwa, Dumas (Tweddell) East Thurrock United: Hughes, Sammons, Stephen, Peddie, Goodacre, Symons (Parmenter), Gilbey (Bryant), Witherspoon, Higgins, Smith, Harris