Canvey Island (0) 0
Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Turner 57
Attendance: 363
Admission: £6 Senior
Programme: None
Mileage: 108/3,614
It was horrible. The wind howled and it’s bitterness cut through you like a knife. As the second half progressed the rain added to the discomfort for the players, at least we had the sanctuary of a roof. This was Canvey Island in the bleak midwinter and this was a banana skin, an accident waiting to happen.
Canvey Island might be two divisions lower but they lead Isthmian North, undefeated, with 33 points out of a possible 39 and one could only imagine, brimming with confidence.
The wind was so strong that it barely mattered which way you were kicking. Against the wind and goalkeepers were seeing the ball returning to them; with it, the deftest of passes just ran away.
Tonbridge dominated and Jonny Henly barely had a meaningful save to make but emerged as the hero with two saves of top quality, the first later described as one of the best ever seen in non-league.
You had to tip your hat to the hardy souls that took up their normal place behind the goal on the open terrace that carries a decent height for watching the game but also leaves you exposed to the worst of the gale. I was not so brave and took my place with an element of shelter.
Tonbridge showed their intention to get a grip of the game from the start and had efforts from Tom Beere, Sonny Miles and Joe Turner before Canvey managed to muddy the gloves of Henly after 25 minutes.
After 31 minutes, the visitors went desperately close as from a corner, Tommy Wood’s shot was cleared from the line by a defender on the far post, the ball fell to Turner on the edge of the box but his shot was wide.
Canvey were having great difficulty making any use of their advantage of the wind at their back with almost all of their passes over hit given the conditions.
Two minutes before the break, Tonbridge went the closest of the half when Wood’s shot looked like it was at least bound for the inside of the post but agonisingly rolled the other side.
Rain started to lash down in the second half to add to the impossible conditions and the wind continued to be the winner with the ball sailing over the bar and carried into the sea!
Tonbridge took the lead on 57 minutes when Craig Braham-Bennett crossed the ball into the box to Wood who laid it back to Turner whose 20 yard shot took a deflection enroute to the back of the net.
Braham-Bennett was needed for his defensive duties three minutes later clearing from the line before Tonbridge had the ball in the net a second time through Smith-Joseph only for it to be mysteriously ruled out for offside after the referee consulted the linesman.
Canvey, with now nothing to lose, threw bodies forward to rescue the game that would go straight to penalties should they find an equaliser and in the 89th minute they so nearly did. A cross from the left found Connor Hubble, who dummied a defender giving himself the space for a clear shooting opportunity 12 yards out. His shot was well struck but somehow Henly got across to push it away, it was a truly great save. In the bar after the game, a Canvey supporter said there wasn’t another player on the pitch that he would have wished the chance to fall to. Hubble didn’t miss, he was denied.
Henly was called into action again in time added as a shot from the right of the box looped towards the far post but Henly was there again to palm the ball to safety.
The banana skin was avoided, the elements denied but the day had one final frustration to throw at us as the bridge was closed for about 45 minutes for a three car crash. But, we were warm in the car with the knowledge that our name was in the hat for Monday’s draw.
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