Canvey Island 0 Tonbridge 1

Match 85/16/1392 - Saturday, 4th February 2017 - Ryman Premier

Canvey Island (0) 0
Tonbridge (1) 1 Akrofi 4
Attendance: 325

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 126/6,021

Match Report

A first-ever victory at Park Lane is not to be sniffed at, despite Canvey Island's lowly league position, but Tonbridge gave their travelling support some anxious second half moments after dominating a first period that should have yielded more than a single goal, scored by Alex Akrofi after just four minutes.

Arrival at Canvey Island was greeted with warm spring-like sunshine. Since our last visit, the hosts have a new, impressive clubhouse recently officially opened by Peter Taylor. However, the strange little mound directly in front of one of the goals remains.

Tom Phipp sat out the game with the injury sustained on Tuesday evening with the other notable absentee being manager Steve McKimm who was forced to stay at home with a bout of the flu.

The Angels could not have had a better start. Phipp's replacement, Luke Allen, slid a ball into the path of Akrofi who shot past the giant Conor Gough from 12 yards.

The home side responded with a good effort from Jay Curran whose shot was narrowly wide of the right hand post.

Tonbridge were unlucky not to extend their lead after 26 minutes when, following a cross by Jack Parter, Luke Blewden struck a fierce shot against the post. They were further frustrated when Nick Wheeler's goalbound shot was cleared from the line by Canvey's striker, George Sykes.

Gough did well to palm away Mitchell Nelson's header from Wheeler's corner as the teams went into the break both wondering how the game was not well beyond the hosts.

Canvey had a double opportunity to equalise after five minutes of the second half when John Mbamarah miskicked in front of goal and from the resultant cross Sykes directed a header wide.

Tonbridge might have extended their advantage after 70 minutes when a Wheeler corner was headed back to George Beavan whose shot was perfectly hit but only found Ashley Dumas on the line to clear. Two minutes later, another Wheeler corner, gave Nelson a free header inside the box but he directed it over the bar.

By this time, Canvey were huffing and puffing their way to a big finish and dominating pressure for a 10 minute period but, without stretching Di Bernardo to other than a couple of catches.

Nathan Elder had another chance to allow the Tonbridge support the luxury of a nerve-free injury time when his header from a Luke Blewden cross was brilliantly tipped over by Gough.

An injury in added time took the designated four minutes up to seven and, with recent experience, nobody was taking anything for granted. Finally, the whistle was blown and the mini hoodoo, after all we've only ever played there six times (and managed a couple of draws), was put to bed.

Action pictures courtesy of Chris Coolbear