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CANDY... TAKING... BABY...
LIKE... FROM... A... In other campaigns, be it League or Cup, Canvey have often been guilty of losing the simple games - especially against low placed teams at Park Lane. These games have been known as the 'banana skin' games; one slip and you end up on your backside, losing embarrassing points and generally looking stupid. Today there was no chance of any such slip-up as, from the opening minutes, it was obvious who would be taking all three points. And, as it turned out, taking them so easily. It was quite easy to see not only why Hampton & Richmond are at the bottom of the table but also, why they are so far adrift from the rest of the pack. They really are not very good. It seems that H&R were happy to stick nine men in their own half and try to play this one out for a draw. It's a tactic that seemed to work for at least half an hour but luck and good fortune can only hold out for so long, especially against such a talented outfit as Canvey seem to be at the moment. Jeff Minton hit the crossbar on 11 minutes and African Nations goalkeeper Andy Iga did well to keep out attacks from Boylan, Berquez and Duffy at a rate of about one every minute and a half. But, credit where it's due, Hampton clung on well for the first half hour of the game and Canvey were getting more and more frustrated at their own inability to put one away, in spite of the obvious one-way traffic. Eventually the stalemate was broken by the player who just gets better and better as the weeks roll by - Jeff Minton. The discussion around me still centred on Grays Athletic agreeing to swap this outstanding player for Adam Miller, a player of great potential but, sadly, most of it unrealised. Minton picked up a loose ball some 30yds out following some good build-up play out on the right involving Lee Boylan. He made himself some space by shaking off a couple of defenders and unleashed a curving shot that rounded Iga beautifully before landing in the far corner of the net. It was certainly just reward for Canvey's industry and creativity and there was a confidence on the terraces that this would be the first of many. Although Matt's ratings won't show Ashley Harrison with a wonderfully high score, based on the fact that he had so little to do, he surely deserves a 10, simply for the fact that he didn't throw a wobbly and go home at half-time, complaining that nobody would let him join in the game. Quite simply, he had nothing to do. He took out the odd cross and he kicked out a few back-passes but, apart from this, his hands must have been very cold as he stood and looked on, rarely involved in the game. If Ashley was cold, spare a thought for the fans who stood and shivered in temperatures rarely into positive figures. However, the attendance of 449 was still disappointing for the team who have extended their unbeaten league run to eleven games and are the only real threat to league leaders, Aldershot. The island must have a greater number of fans than this - perhaps they will come out of the woodwork as the season, and the promotion race, reaches its uncertain conclusion. Still, shame on Canvey people. The game continued in much the same way with wave after wave of Canvey attacks coming close but, for the time being, no more goals. Iga did well to get onto the end of several near misses but everybody knew that, eventually, the luck would run out and there would be a much more decisive score line. Half time Canvey Island 1 Hampton & Richmond Borough 0 The second half started off at breakneck speed and it only took a couple of minutes for Lee Boylan to grab his 25th goal of the season. And what a goal. It was created beautifully out on the right with some superb one-touch football between Kevin Dobinson and Lee Boylan. Eventually Boylan found himself in a great position, some 18yds out and only the 'keeper to beat. Making it look easy, Boylan slotted the ball between the 'keeper's legs and into the back of the net for goal number 2. Being two-nil up is sometimes an awkward position to be in, the team on the back-foot stepping the pace up a notch and trying to get back into the game. This was not the problem today as Hampton had no more idea of how to get back into this game than they did of how to fly. They had no players with the ability to trouble the Canvey defence and, apart from some valiant support from No. 11 Andy Cyrus, the entire front line looked as helpless as the four away supporters who huddled together against the cold at the sea-wall end. Ollie Berquez was giving Iga all sorts of trouble and the talented 'keeper was called upon to make several spectacular saves. But he had so little defence in front of him it was almost unfair. The score might have been embarrassing had Iga not been on hand to take out crosses and pull off some acrobatic saves. But Iga stood no chance on 79 minutes when Minton pulled off a carbon copy replica of his first goal, picking up a well worked ball some 25yds out and hammering a curling shot around the 'keeper and into the far corner of the net. Not only was Minton doing the business at the back and linking up the midfield but he was also dynamite whenever he came anywhere near the H&R penalty area. Bertie Brayley came on for Chris Duffy towards the end of the second half and he went over to run the left flank and he enjoyed a good deal of success as he repeatedly ran the ball to the bye-line before sending in some dangerous crosses, In the 83rd minute he sent over his best cross of the afternoon and it fell beautifully for Steve Parmenter, who had replaced Rudi earlier in the game. Parms teed up his shot but the 'keeper was ahead of him and flung himself full stretch in the direction he thought the ball was going. But Parms completely muffed his shot and hit it so hard into the ground in front of him that it ballooned into the air, over the prostrate 'keeper and somehow, landed in the back of the net. Parms looked quite embarrassed as he collected the accolades of his fellow players, but they all count the same - good ones, well-worked ones and even the 'flukes'. This was yet another convincing performance from a Canvey side that is riding so high at the moment. The stability introduced into the team selection over the past couple of months seems to be paying off handsomely although you now have to question whether certain players will ever get back into the team. Perhaps more and more players will find themselves on loan to Ryman rivals as Canvey mount a very serious campaign to take the league. Third time lucky? Let's get some of the big ones out of the way before we speculate too much. Roll on St Albans, Aldershot and Billericay - all at home! .Match Report by Merv Teams
Weather Conditions: Very cold, but dry and bright. What did you think of
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