Canvey Island 1 Blues 1

In a game with limited chances the Blues were held to a draw at the Frost Financial Stadium with all the excitement reserved for the final ten minutes. Previous visits to Canvey Island have been high tempo, rip roaring affairs but on this occasion a cagey and somewhat of a pre-season type feel to the game unravelled in the drizzly Essex night. A draw was a fair result although on clearer chances, the visitors should have returned to Suffolk with a three point haul rather than the one collected. Leiston made three changes from the side that defeated Kingstonian with Leon Ottley-Gooch replacing the injured Danny Cunningham and Tom Winter in for the unavailable Darren Mills. There was also a new keeper with Ashlee Jones, signed earlier in the day, replacing Alex Rossis in goal. The hosts, smarting from an opening day defeat at Dulwich Hamlet, made a tentative start with Leiston bossing possession. The first clear cut opening came on 20 minutes. A typical marauding run through the heart of the Canvey defence from Joe Francis picked out Gareth Heath on the right hand side of the area but he could only ripple the side netting from 15 yards. Tuohy then fired an effort straight at Ashlee Jones in the host’s first real foray before a Stuart Boardley free kick from 30 yards whistled over Larkins bar. The best chance of the half was then squandered by the Blues. Christy Finch held the ball up well linking with Joe Francis who found Gareth Heath on the right. Heath’s teasing cross picked out the run of Christy Finch but he glanced his header wide from six yards. As the half closed Canvey pressed and a trio of corners were well defended as the first half ended.

HT – Canvey Island 0 Blues 0

Canvey resumed the second half more offensively, applying more pressure on the Blues rearguard without really troubling Ashlee Jones. Eyong, the stand out performer for Canvey, then had a clear sight of goal on 54 minutes after a typical burst into the Leiston half but after a neat exchange with Poole on the edge of the box, the Canvey right back fired his effort straight into the midriff of Ashlee Jones. Stuart Boardley saw yellow for a robust challenge in midfield but still the game refused to increase in tempo with Leiston playing a percentage controlled game, playing the ball around well when in possession. With the final quarter approaching former Canvey striker John Sands replaced Christy Finch with the visitor’s first change. Within minutes he forced the Blues first corner of the game. Suddenly the game began injected with an increase of purpose and on the wave of this Leiston opened the scoring. A long ball out of defence found Gareth Heath who raced into the Canvey area drawing the advancing Larkins before neatly chipping the Gulls keeper. But the ball did not have enough power to make the net with the back tracking Halle acrobatically hooking the ball off the line but straight to Leon Ottley-Gooch who had the simple task of side footing home the opening goal. The lead lasted just three minutes as perseverance from the hosts brought them a reward. The visitors failed to clear the danger in the left hand corner and a combination of Chatting and Dumas overturned possession and crossed for Tuohy who, between defenders, plucked the ball out of the air and spun and hooked his shot into the left hand corner giving Ashlee Jones no chance. There was almost a late sting in the tail as the two Blues substitutes combined with John Sands flicking Billy Clark’s cross goalwards but it was too close to Larkins who claimed high above his head.

FT – Canvey Island 1 Blues 1

Canvey Island – Larkins, Eyong, Dumas, Pitty, Halle, Easterford, Curran, Poole, Gilchrist (Agyakwa 87 mins), Tuohy, Adeniji (Chatting 62 mins). Subs not used – Gislette, Lawson and Sheehan.

Blues – Jones, Saker, Dunbar, Brothers, Jefford, Boardley, Winter (Clark 87 mins), Heath, Finch (Sands 72 mins), Ottley-Gooch, Francis. Subs not used – Baker, Merrit and Rossis.

Man of the Match – Gareth Heath

Attendance – 247