Canvey Island 2-4 East Thurrock

From the Frost Financial Stadium

Ryman Premier League

 

TEN-MAN Canvey Island conceded four against East Thurrock for the second time in three weeks, as the Gulls surrendered a two-goal lead to lose 4-2.

Tony Stokes and Martin Tuohy had put Canvey in control but the sending off of Lawrence Yiga on the half-hour mark, and the consequent goal from the penalty spot for Sam Higgins, turned the game.

Lewis Smith, Tom Wraight and another Higgins goal ensured it was East Thurrock that moved to within a point of the summit.

The Gulls were looking to exact a degree of revenge following their 4-0 drubbing at the hands of East Thurrock just three weeks ago.

Confidence was low at the club, as Danny Heale watched his men concede three second-half goals to draw 3-3 at Brentwood.

But they looked full of belief from the off in this match. The hosts had the lead after 13 minutes, and it was a neatly worked move down the left.

Harrison Chatting fired in a low ball and Stokes guided it in at the near post.

And it got even better three minutes later. Chatting was again involved, as he worked an opening with Jay Curran. His shot was brilliantly saved by stand-in goalkeeper Lewis Lockyer, making only his second league appearance of the season, although Tuohy was on hand to power the loose ball home.

But the Gulls then shot themselves in the foot, as a moment of madness in defence cost them. Yiga failed to make a clearance and brought down Higgins in the process, with the defender dismissed and the striker powering home the kick to half the deficit.

Rickie Hayles saw a header cleared off the line and the away side turned up the heat on the hosts, but the equaliser wasn’t long in coming.

Higgins flicked a ball into the path of James Walker and he calmly squared for Smith to fire into the goal.

Into the second-half, Rocks were looking ever more likely and they thought they had the lead when Walker tucked into the corner, only for the offside flag to curtail any celebrations.

Martin Tuohy saw a shot saved by Lockyer in one of the Gulls’ rare forays forward but Canvey couldn’t hold out.

A terrific cross-field pass was well anticipated by Wraight, as he took the ball on his chest and powered a finish past Gough.

Canvey showed brief glimpses of getting back into the match, with veteran striker Cliff Akurang climbing off the bench for his second debut.

But the result was wrapped up when Higgins fired home from a tight angle for his second of the match.

 

Canvey Island: Gough, Pitty, Dumas, Gilbey, Sheehan, Yiga, Curran (Akurang), Chatting, Tombides (Miller-Rodney), Tuohy, Stokes

East Thurrock: Lockyer, Sammons, Knott, Ellul, Hayles, Wood, Newby (Craddock), Wraight, Higgins, Walker, Smith