The spirit of the FA Cup returned to the Brockwell Stadium this afternoon with Canvey Island playing host to Conference South outfit and former Ryman League derby opponents, Dartford.

A bumper crowd of over 700 with at least half travelling through the toll booths witnessed the action start from the off.

Charlie Sheringham, son of former Premiership striker Teddy put narrowly over after just three minutes from just inside the penalty area.

Down the other end, Danny Heale put his effort from just outside the area over the bar before Heale gave Canvey the lead after only eight minutes.

Alex Rhodes floated a deep right-sided free-kick over to the far-post where Heale on the edge of the six-yard box, headed unchallenged over Andrew Young and into the far corner from a narrow angle.

Kevin Dobinson attempted to double Canvey’s lead from within the ‘D’ but his effort was hit straight at Young.

Dartford had the ball in the net on 13 minutes but Carl Rook was ruled to have committed a foul in the build-up that scrubbed the “goal” from the score-sheet.

Rook missed a great chance on fifteen minutes as he sent his free header wide of James Russell’s far post from a corner.

On twenty-three minutes another Dartford corner was a little close for comfort for Russell and he parried the initial effort towards the floor with the defence on hand to clear the loose ball.

Another dangerous effort from Canvey started with another free-kick from Alex Rhodes. He squared the free-kick to Danny Heale, standing on the edge of the area, with Heale flicking the ball on to the advancing Robbie King. King nodded the ball wide from two yards out after being chased down by Tom Bonner.

Dartford came closer still on thirty-five minutes. Carl Rook hit an effort that rebounded off the underside the crossbar. The follow-up from Danny Harris was blocked point blank by Russell with the ball finally being cleared as Canvey broke on the counter-attack through Jay Curran. Curran found himself one-on-one but lost ground to Bonner and Curran was beaten to the ball by Young.

Canvey’s defence thwarted several attacks from Dartford and James Russell was pulling off some fantastic saves between the sticks to deny Dartford equalising, in particular tipping wide a speculative cross from James White and blocking point-blank again, a header from Sheringham.

With five minutes to go till half-time, Ashley Dumas received a caution for a high-foot out wide and with just seconds of the half remaining, Chris Moore was booked when challenging Danny Harris for a fifty-fifty ball. Harris himself was booked for dissent after protesting to the Referee and making a meal of his injury.

H/T: Canvey Island 1 - 0 Dartford

James Russell was called into action immediately after the restart as he was required to tip Paul Goodacre’s close range header around his near-post with the follow-up corner headed over.

The largely ineffective Charlie Sheringham was replaced by Ryan Hayes just after the hour in a straight striker for striker swap and change lifted Dartford’s tempo.

Canvey almost extended their lead on sixty-four minutes with Ashley Dumas breaking down Canvey’s left. After losing his marker, he squared the ball to the onrushing Curran, but Young did well to get down low and block Curran’s effort, also recovering equally well to gather up the loose ball.

Frankie Everett conceded a penalty on 70 minutes by bringing down Danny Harris just inside the area. Everett was booked for his part and substitute Ryan Hayes converted a textbook spot-kick to bring the Darts level. Hayes removed his shirt during the celebration and was deservedly booked.

On 77 minutes Dartford took the lead with Hayes this time acting as provider. He looped the ball towards the far post where Elliot Bradbrook headed the ball across Russell and into the far corner.

Canvey made a double substitution on eighty minutes in an attempt to get something from the game by replacing the exhausted Danny Heale with Jason Hallett and Kevin Dobinson with Hussein Isa, from which Robbie King moved into the middle of the park to accompany Matt Game.

Running down the four minutes of added on time, former Canvey Island player Ollie Berquez stepped onto the pitch to a chorus of Boos by replacing Danny Harris.

In the fourth minute of stoppage time Jason Hallett earned a penalty as he came short for a free-kick at Young’s near-post. In a moment of madness, Young rushed out in an attempt to punch the ball clear and in doing so flattened Hallett and earned his self a yellow card. Robbie King stepped up and calmly dispatched the ball down to Young’s right, bringing the scores level with just seconds remaining and ensuring that a replay will go ahead at Princes’ Park this Tuesday evening.

F/T: Canvey Island 2 - 2 Dartford