Canvey Island seeking revenge for their loss at New Lodge earlier in the season gave a victory worthy first-half performance that brought with it three goals for the hosts before the break in reply to Billericay’s 4^th minute opener in front of the 621 in attendance for today’s New Year derby.

Canvey fielded the same starting eleven as their previous fixture against Lowestoft Town way back on December 14^th whilst Billericay started new signing Peggy Lakondo in the holding midfield role and former Canvey man Bertie Brayley amongst their ranks began on the left winger for the Blues.

The game started lively with Canvey playing to their strengths, moving the ball along the floor at pace and creating plenty of width.

One thing that Canvey have had this season that has been missing in previous years is some bite in midfield. Already this season we have seen Canvey dominate in the middle and today was no exception. Matt Game and Kevin Dobinson were solid holding men and influential going forward, not allowing Billericay any time on the ball. Dobinson in particular had Lakondo, as they say “in his pocket” all half. When Canvey were in possession it was quickly shifted out onto the wings where Robbie King, Ashley Dumas and Alex Rhodes were waiting ready to charge at their opposing full-backs.

Billericay’s early goal came from an attack down their left. Sean Bonnett-Johnson was allowed to thread a ball through the gap in Canvey’s backline left by John Easterford who had earlier slipped in the mud backtracking. Harrison Chatting was the man to beat Canvey’s defence and rifle the ball past James Russell from ten yards. Gulls fans were confident that this goal would not be the only one in this match and coming early on in the game it seemed to be regarded as a minor setback as the Gulls continued to threaten in Billericay’s half of the field.

Jay Curran replied three minutes later for the Gulls with a well worked move that summed up Canvey’s attitude towards the game. Danny Heale made a brave tackle out on the right to regain possession. Frank Everett picked up the loose ball and whipped it into the ‘Ricay penalty box where Jay Curran lay in wait biding his time to hit a half-volley around Lee Kersey and into the roof of Nicky Morgan’s goal.

Robbie King made Morgan stretch on 15 minutes as he connected with a left-wing cross, but his header was palmed clear and away from danger.

Curran grabbed his and Canvey’s second on 20 minutes through a trademark run from Alex Rhodes. Rhodes broke down Canvey’s left and sweetly curled his cross around the Billericay backline where it was left for Curran to simply side-step the ball into the far corner of the goal, wrong-footing Morgan.

Rhodes went for goal himself on 24 minutes, picking up the ball just inside the Billericay half and weaving his way towards the box. From about twenty-five yards out his effort was narrowly but cleanly wide of Morgan’s goal.

Hard work again paid off for Canvey on 37 minutes. Jay Curran chased down ball that Adam Flanagan wished would go out of play quicker, but with Curran hot on his heels, Flanagan passed back to his ‘Keeper Morgan, but Morgan’s kick was poor and landed at the feet of Dobinson, just twenty-five yards from goal. Unbelievably Dobinson slipped whilst lining up his shot, even more unbelievably was that he managed to retain possession and even latch a pass onto Alex Rhodes. Morgan blocked Rhodes’ first effort but Canvey’s joint top-scorer pounced on the rebound and slotted the ball over the line from a narrow angle whilst being chased down by Flanagan. A third goal in just 37 minutes was a joy to behold as much as Rhodes’ and Dobinson’s individual celebrations for their part. Whilst trudging back into position for the restart it was evident that all four of the ‘Ricay backline were staring at their shoes, their heads firmly dropped wishing the ground would swallow them up.

Craig Edwards, venting his displeasure from the Billericay dugout changed things around replacing former Concord Rangers Striker James Lawson with Sebastian Schobergh on the right-wing.

Danny Heale came close to adding Canvey’s fourth with a minute of the half to go when he curled his free-kick from twenty yards was narrowly over Morgan’s crossbar.

H/T: Canvey Island 3 - 1 Billericay Town

Billericay made a further change at half-time with Junior Dadson replacing the highly ineffective Bertie Brayley. Canvey meanwhile replaced Robbie King who had played the first-half despite illness with Danny Kerrigan.

Fans expected more of the same from Canvey throughout the second-half, but the game was more subdued after the interval with Canvey’s formation becoming narrow and their attacking play strategically limited at times. With that Billericay were allowed more time on the ball but had very little to show for it on occasions. James Russell was never seriously tested and it seemed at times as if Canvey were inviting Billericay back into the game for sheer entertainment value.

The main talking point of the game though was on 52 minutes when the nearside Assistant Referee signalled he could no longer continue and call went out for a replacement Official. Up stepped Canvey Island’s Programme Editor, Glen Eckett, a fully qualified Referee to fill in and allow play to resume after a ten minute break.

Substitute Sebastian Schobergh gave Billericay a life-line on 60 minutes. A worked ball into the box from Peggy Lakondo found Schobergh behind Canvey’s backline and he simply placed the ball past Russell much to the Gulls’ frustrations.

Canvey had two excellent opportunities to extend their lead in this half, both coming in a similar vein to one another. Both also came from some lovely counter-attacking football down Canvey’s left, Danny Heale with the first latched onto Morgan’s parried shot on the edge of the area. Heale realistically should’ve buried his effort, but instead fired it low, straight at Morgan who was clambering to get off the floor. The second came from Kevin Dobinson who again made Morgan work low down within his penalty area. Morgan parried this shot to Matt Game, but Game smacked the ball into the terrace from a tight angle.

Surprisingly for a fixture involving a Craig Edwards team, the only two bookings of the game were for the hosts. On 74 minutes Frank Everett up-ended Dadson and from the resulting free-kick Sean Bonnett-Johnson was incredibly unlucky to directly lift the ball onto James Russell’s crossbar from distance. The second booking came on 81 minutes when former’ Ricay player Chris Moore blocked a Blues attacker, flattening him in exaggerated fashion.

A much needed substitution came on 84 minutes when Danny Heale, again running himself ragged was replaced by Jason Hallett who immediately got in on the action from a corner. Game’s cross was rebounded to the feet of Hallett standing a yard off the near post, but Hallett’s turn and shot effort was deflected out for a second corner.

Three minutes of stoppage time were closely followed by the Gulls’ fans all waiting with baited breath for the Referee to signal the end of play but not before Harrison Chatting missed a sitter within the six-yard box; blazing the ball out of the ground adding to Billericay’s misery. Full-time sounded shortly after and this came as a large relief and with the expected addition of Craig Edwards’ customary gesturing towards the Yellow Army as he made his way to the changing room.

The result was flattering for Billericay as for all their dominance and sublime attacking football Canvey could’ve and should’ve won by a larger margin. However the game was a reflection of an excellent performance from the Gulls that many will hope to carry forward into their visit to Earlsmead next weekend before the action returns to the Brockwell Stadium against league leaders Sutton United in eight days time.

F/T: Canvey Island 3 - 2 Billericay Town