Two Points dropped for Blues at home to Canvey

MET POLICE 1 V CANVEY ISLAND 1

Canvey came to Imber Court with some new faces as they strive to halt their slide to the lower reaches of the Ryman Premier. Following on from the incredible 4-4 draw in August both teams went into the fixture knowing anything was possible. After some early sparring Met began to dominate and on 22 minutes Ryan James turned evident superiority into a lead with a clinical strike following good work by Joe Turner.

But it was not until 40th minute that another clear opportunity presented itself with Joe Turner putting a glancing header wide of the left hand post. Then in the 44th minute following a heavy tackle on Billy Crook, Charlie Collins struck a dipping free kick from the edge of the D which skimmed the crossbar with the keeper beaten.

Half Time : Met Police 1 Canvey Island 0

The second half started with Met continuing with good tempo and threatening to increase their lead. But it soon became clear that the half time talk had put more fire into Canvey who responded determinedly. The game opened up with both sides pressing whenever they could.

Following a foul on Bradley Hudson-Odoi, only good fortune in a tremendous goal mouth scramble prevented Canvey from going further behind. Then on 58 minutes disaster struck as Stuart Searle attempted to clear a back pass only to drive the ball into the considerable frame of Enoch Showumni with the rebound bouncing a dozen yards into the unguarded net for Canvey’s equalizer.

For the following 5 minutes Canvey were buoyed as they took the game to the Met in search of a winner. However, the Blues weathered the storm and the final stages of the game were like the Alamo for Canvey as the Met conspired to miss many chances and goal keeper Tim Brown saved three goal bound strikes with his feet.

Met Police Man of the match : Charlie Collins

Team 1 Stuart Searle 2 Will Salmon 3 Rob Bartley 4 Billy Crook 5 Steve Sutherland 6 Ricardo Joseph 7 Charlie Collins 8 Ryan James 9 Joe Turner 10 Nikki Ahamed 11 Bradley Hudson-Odoi

Subs 12 Jay Lovett 14 James Aldred 15 James Daly 15 Mekhail Mc Laughlin 17 Alex Kozakis

Editors note : My thanks to club chairman Des Flanders for once again stepping into the breach as work commitments prevented me from being at the game.