With the withdrawal of London Colney, Bethnal Green United stepped up in their place tonight at the Brockwell Stadium and was to be on the wrong end of an 8-1 rout with four of Canvey’s strikers all getting on the score-sheet.

There were home debuts for Steve Ward and new signing Matt Game; returning from minor foot surgery as well as Andrew West, Greg Cohen, Kevin Dobinson and James Rowe all rested from Saturday.

It took only 3 minutes for Danny Heale; questionably offside to receive the ball out on the right, sprint to the corner, then drag the ball back into the path of Jason Hallett, who smashed the ball into the net.

On 9 minutes, Bethnal Green’s number 11 broke down the right but his cross was not met and the chance went begging. Bethnal was forced into an early substitution when left back number 3 hobbled off the field to be replaced by number 16.

Matt Game’s corner on 12 minutes was cleared back out to him, where he unleashed a fierce effort from the edge of the penalty area that went narrowly wide and on 19 minutes Jason Hallett’s lob over Bethnal’s ‘Keeper was just over the bar.

Bethnal Green needed to make another substitution due to injury on 26 minutes and number 5 replaced number 10.

Number 8 was looked dangerous for Bethnal and he sent a 25 yard volley narrowly wide of James Russell’s goal just past the half hour.

On 38 minutes Jonathan Edwards made a great pass to Robbie King who put the ball wide but just moment later Matt Game had the ball out on the right touch-line and looped a cross into the box right onto the foot of Jay Curran who fired through the ‘Keepers legs from six yards.

Bethnal got into the game for the last five minutes of the first-half with Bethnal’s number 14 forcing Russell into a save as his shot from the left edge of the area had to be parried by Canvey’s ‘Keeper.

Two minutes later and a great pass from number 8 found the pace of number 11, who sprinted through Canvey’s backline but he put the ball over and on the stroke of half-time towering number 10 headed wide after a cross from the left.

Half-Time: Canvey Island 2 – 0 Bethnal Green United

Jason Hallett was replaced by James Rowe and Greg Cohen replaced Matt Game for Canvey at half-time with Bethnal’s number 8 being replaced by number 19.

Bethnal’s number 14 made a run into Canvey’s penalty area and even managed to hit the post on 47 minutes, but on 52 minutes James Rowe broke the offside trap with a diagonal run and placed his shot under the Goalkeeper into the far corner.

Jay Curran got Canvey’s fourth on 58 minutes with a thunderous header in the centre of goal from Greg Cohen’s corner and Danny Heale got in on the action just a minute later when Frankie Everett made a great run to the corner flag, before crossing the ball for Heale to head into the far corner.

More substitutions came with half an hour to go; Bethnal’s 7 and 15 coming on for ?? and 20 respectively while Andrew West replaced Steve Ward for Canvey and Stuart Batch replacing Rob King just a minute later.

Danny Heale grabbed his second and Canvey’s sixth on 64 minutes when he placed his shot from 12 yards, but Bethnal scored their consolation goal a minute later when number 7 broke clear and swept the ball into Russell’s goal from the right.

Canvey made further substitutions; Jamie Matthews replacing Chris Moore on 66 minutes, whilst Ellis Skidmore came on for Danny Heale and Remi Sutton for Ashley Dumas on 71 minutes. Between this Bethnal’s number 12 replaced ?? on 68 minutes.

With fifteen minutes to go James Rowe was breaking through Bethnal’s defence for fun, but he sent the ball over the goal, when Skidmore was open.

Jason Hallett, obviously eager to add to his goal tally re-entered the foray on 76 minutes for Jay Curran as Bethnal’s number 16 replaced ??.

Hallett did get on the score-sheet again, his second coming on 81 minutes as he slipped passed the Bethnal defence and hit the ball under the ‘Keeper, mirroring James Rowe’s earlier goal. Hallett completed his hat-trick two minutes later. He made a great run down the right to latch onto a ball and reminiscent of Paul Gascoigne at Euro ’96 he knocked the ball over Bethnal’s number 6 before rounding him and rifling a shot into the net with his other foot.

Frankie Everett was replaced by Ben Fullbrook after picking up a knock and number 18 replaced number 7 for Bethnal as the game concluded with a comfortable victory for Canvey.

Full-Time: Canvey Island 8 – 1 Bethnal Green United