|
|||||||||
|
| ||||||||||
|
EASY-PEASY It's not that Canvey have played badly at home this season, the problem has been giving away silly goals and a lack of consistency. Well, today, they put all that behind them and the team played a cracking good game of football that was both entertaining and exciting to watch, and the defence was in no mood to give anything away. Unfortunate for poor Cirencester Town that they visited at just the wrong time; there is a feeling of optimism at Park Lane at the moment. Canvey have turned the corner and this was the proof. Cirencester really had no answer to the quick, free-flowing game that Canvey wanted to play. Sean Purcell in the visitors goal was probably their best player - certainly their busiest. But he really had little or no defence in front of him and there were long periods in both halves when Minton, Duffy and Kennedy were able to slice them in half, providing some superb service for Gregory and Boylan up front. Whereas Canvey were certainly 'up' for this one, Cirencester just didn't look as if they wanted to be there. The experienced No 8 Darren Robinson was the most guilty. As soon as Canvey went ahead after 18 minutes he dropped his head and spent the rest of the game simply going through the motions. Since Cirencester were providing very little effective midfield it gave the opportunity for Minton, Bennett and Protheroe to come forward and, truth is, it was one-way traffic for most of the 90 minutes. The Canvey groundstaff deserve an enormous pat on the back for the super-human efforts they put in to get this game played at all. After all the snow and frost of midweek, most fans feared that this game might get called off. As it was, it might have been heavy, it might have had a good deal of sand over it and there might have been just a little surface water, but in general it was a good playing surface. Good enough for some slick one/two passing movements that often left the visitors awe-struck, sometimes left looking on as mere spectators. Canvey might have gone one goal up as early as the second minute. Man of the Match Jeff Minton came forward and put in a great shot from deep on the left. Purcell got down to it but couldn't hold it and spilled it almost into the path of Lee Boylan. I say almost as Boylan slipped on the wet surface and the 'keeper was able to get to the loose ball just a split second before Canvey's top scorer. Within the first 10 minutes both Boylan and Duffy were testing the visiting 'keeper and putting him under enormous pressure while, at the other end, pity poor Ashley Harrison who had precious little to do, other than kick away back-passes. The ball was rarely out of the Cirencester half but even when the visitors did get possession, they failed to construct any decent passing football to take them forward, relying instead on through balls that needed to be chased. Unfortunately, this style of play was just what the Canvey defence enjoys and Chenery, Ward and Davidson always looked in control at the back; even when No 9 Gareth Hopkins (Cirencester's only effective player for most of the game) ran at them with the ball. The first Canvey goal came on 18 minutes following a free-kick awarded for a hand-ball just outside the visitors penalty area. Lee Protheroe came forward to take the kick and after some argy-bargy in the wall between Lee Boylan and No 5 Nick Beaverstock, Proths hit the ball low and hard to the 'keepers left. Purcell did well to get down to the ball but once again he spilled it, this time right into the path of Neil Gregory who was happy to hit home the simplest of chances. A deserved lead and a sign of things to come. Canvey's second goal came from a perfect cross from Chris Duffy on 25 minutes. He had been enjoying some freedom out on the left flank and seemed to be able to come and go at will. On this occasion he cut inside his defender and placed the ball perfectly into the path of Lee Boylan who was lurking on the penalty spot. Boylan needed only one touch to set himself up before he placed his shot perfectly past the helpless Purcell. The ball kept coming forward and either Canvey were superb or Cirencester are not used to the sort of pace that you find in the Ryman Premiere. Perhaps the true answer is a little bit of both. But still the ball kept coming, sometimes down the left, sometimes down the right and sometimes through the middle. On 40 minutes a ball came through the middle and found Jeff Minton. In recent games the ball seems to stick to Minton like a magnet and he refuses to lose it to anybody. In spite of several attempts to take the ball from him, he kept coming forward until he pushed it forward for Lee Protheroe to convert from close range - once again Purcell given no help by his non-existent defence. Half time Canvey 3 Cirencester 0 Half-time saw a change of officials, the referee Mr John apparently pulled something during the first half and had to be replaced by one of his assistants, our own Denis Rugg taking over one of the lines. But Cirencester had their own problems. Coming out three goals down must have been difficult for the visitors but, credit where credit is due, they still got stuck in. After a short spell where the visitors looked like they might get more involved in the game, Canvey climbed back into the driving seat. Assault after assault was made on Cirencester's goal. On 46 minutes Boylan sent a great ball across the goalmouth to Gregory on the far side who knocked it back perfectly for Duffy who was well placed in the middle of the area. Unfortunately Duffers scuffed his shot and the moment was lost. But it was only two minutes later when Lee Protheroe missed another easy one. He created the chance himself and came running into the area with the ball but was just unable to curl it around the advancing 'keeper and it went wide. But another two minutes and another chance. This time it was set up by Duffy who put the ball through to Minton who, in turn, set up Boylan. This time the attempt was foiled when Purcell brought off a great save. And so it went on. Various combinations of Canvey personnel came through by various routes, always intent on putting some more goals away. The visiting defence was all at sixes and sevens and poor No 3 David Hunt was having something of a nightmare, rarely able to get to a ball without getting himself into trouble. The most daring shot of the game came on the hour when Steve Ward, coming forward so far and so often that one fan feared he might get a nosebleed, unleashed a blockbuster from 30yds. It was a most interesting shot and had the goal been a bit higher and a bit wider it would only just have missed! But Duffy didn't miss seven minutes later. He played an exciting one/two with Lee Boylan and Boylan's cross might have been just a bit too far forward for players with normal length legs. But Duffers lunged forward and hit home with relative ease from 10yds out. Four nil up and counting. Cirencester responded by introducing a fresh pair of legs in No 12 Luke Corbett. With almost his first touch of the ball he managed to grab a consolation goal for the visitors, making the most of a slip by Ben Chenery, to move forward into space and push the ball under the advancing Ashley Harrison. But it was only consolation. It didn't seem to lift the Cirencester spirits and they played out the rest of the game without making any further attempts on Canvey's goal. It was all going Canvey's way, even when it wasn't going their way. One poor cross from Lee Boylan, aimed for Neil Gregory but ending up in the car park, elicited the response from Greggers, "You couldn't cross a road!" But Chris Duffy certainly could cross a ball and, although he was guilty of some dreadful passes throughout the game, he sent in a lovely cross on 81 minutes, setting up Boylan's second goal and Canvey's fifth of the afternoon. Duffy, back recently from an injury, had a very satisfying game, assisting in two goals and scoring one for himself. Canvey could have made it six in the 89th minute when substitute Bertie Brayley did well to win a ball out to the left of the penalty area and cut in with it. But instead of releasing the ball to Gregory who was unmarked in front of goal, Brayley struggled on until he was closed down by the advancing 'keeper and the resulting shot was tipped over the bar (it was going over anyway). But on the whole it was an exciting game and a real pleasure to see Canvey dominate from start to finish. Don't make the mistake of thinking it was against poor opposition. Cirencester are certainly no muppets and 10 points out of 12 in recent league games, with some impressive wins this season, tells us that they are a good outfit. But today they didn't want it and weren't prepared to work at it. In contrast, this was a game that Canvey wanted and so they took it. Minton was deservedly awarded the Fisk Man of the Match - he gets better and better, but another player who impressed, even though he was only on for 15 minutes, was Finnish international Jukka 'Rudi' Ruhanen. He didn't really have the opportunity to get too involved, but he certainly looked fast and sharp. He brought a sense of excitement to the game and fans' spirits rose whenever he got the ball. Perhaps next Tuesday's Bryco Cup will be the opportunity to see him have a full game, to see what he has to offer. Match Report by Merv. Teams
Weather Conditions: Cold but dry. Pitch very heavy . What did you think of
today's match? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
