FACT - Since 1999 Canvey Island’s league performances against Heybridge Swifts stand as:

Played 12, Won 10, Drawn 1, Lost 1, Goals for 40, Goals against 10.

So, if there is one team that must hate visiting the Brockwell Stadium most of all it has got to be Canvey Island’s Essex neighbours in the black and white stripes.

Ok, so this was the League Cup rather than a League fixture and was clearly of less importance than our difficult league encounter with Lowestoft Town in just three days time, so you could accept the case for resting key players like Jay Curran, Alex Rhodes and Jason Hallett; however some of the names on the starting XI were placed in some rather unorthodox positions.

Centre-half Steve Ward remained at left-back for the second consecutive game pushing Ashley Dumas forward into left midfield. Left-back Danny Kerrigan was positioned in the centre of midfield with Kevin Dobinson making the starting line-up over Craig Davidson after spending the victory over Dagenham & Redbridge sitting on the bench. This pushed Robbie King out onto the right wing and winger Hussein Isa took up the second Striker’s position accompanying Danny Heale with Ellis Skidmore making-way. This left a few fans scratching their heads but having not had a fixture at the Brockwell since 20^th November, we were just glad the game went ahead.

Canvey started brightly and dominated the half, but lady luck was clearly not with the Gulls this afternoon. With some poor finishing and the experience of Ollie Morris-Sanders, Canvey were denied on several occasions.

Their first chance came on 7 minutes when Robbie King had a shot from the edge of the area deflected out for a corner, however the Referee claimed he didn’t see the deflection and awarded a goal-kick to the Swifts.

A minute later and Chris Moore had a great chance to put Canvey ahead, but he directed his header from Hussein Isa’s corner onto to the post. The rebound fell to Moore again but this time he couldn’t quite get the same accuracy and nodded to ball wide.

On 10 minutes Robbie King was very harshly booked by the Referee after he was judged to have fouled Reece Morgan when challenging for a clear fifty-fifty ball. Morgan went to ground with an elaborate cry, alerting the Referee he needed attention but once the card was shown to King, Morgan was up and running freely.

Having been forced to show consistency the Referee booked Heybridge Captain Danny Barber on 22 minutes after he collided with Robbie King out on the right. Hopefully with an early booking for each side the Referee would have the game settle and flow, now he’d exerted his authority.

Had Luke Callender connected his overhead kick with the ball on 23 minutes he would certainly have put Heybridge one-nil ahead, but he mistimed his swing and the ball sailed past him.

John Easterford knew little of his chance to put Canvey in front on 26 minutes as Hussein Isa’s free-kick from the left evaded everyone in the centre of the penalty area, but fell to Easterford who unknown to him was clear on goal from six yards. Easterford hit the ball first time though, dragging his shot wide in typical centre-half fashion.

With the first-half drawing to a close Heybridge exerted some pressure for the final ten minutes forcing a succession of corners. The first came as Tom English broke down Canvey’s right and fired a low effort that James Russell was forced to turn around the post. The resulting corner was whipped into the far post where it met a Heybridge head, but Russell was on acrobatic form to tip the ball over the bar from point-blank range. The second corner taken from the opposite side was cleared at the near post for a third corner that again reached the near-post but was cleared more effectively, up field and out of play.

Canvey were denied their first of two good penalty shouts on 48 minutes as Danny Heale was bundled over by Billy Hawes after getting in the mix to jump on a loose ball. The Referee said no and as the teams headed in for the break a few choice words was exchanged between the Management teams over the behaviour of Reece Morgan that led to Robbie King’s caution earlier.

H/T: Canvey Island 0 - 0 Heybridge Swifts

The fans were expecting an improvement for the second half and Canvey delivered a limited revival but not before some of the more regular first-team players were brought into the fray.

Hussein Isa provided a lovely cross from deep on 52 minutes that fell to the head of Robbie King, but King’s effort clipped the post and bounced harmlessly out for a goal-kick.

Hawes attempted to mirror English’s earlier shot on goal, this time breaking down Canvey’s left but he was less successful and his effort rolled past Russell’s goal and out of play.

On 61 minutes Canvey made a double substitution introducing Alex Rhodes and Jay Curran for Steve Ward and Danny Kerrigan. Again fans were left scratching their heads as King who had been targeted by his former club all game had taken a heavy knock just several minutes earlier and looked destined to need to be replaced. King soldiered on though and the substitutions brought some much needed balance to the team.

Dumas slipped back into defence with Isa in front of him and Curran took up position on the right wing allowing King to move into the middle. Rhodes was now the second Striker alongside Heale. That was until the 70^th minutes when Jason Hallett replaced Isa and Hallett played up front with Rhodes shifting to his regular left-wing role.

Heybridge made a change for their selves with Chris Thomas replacing Luke Callendar on 72 minutes before Kevin Dobinson’s 25 yard free-kick sailed past the near post on 74 minutes.

Three minutes later and another Dobinson free-kick found Jason Hallett on the six-yard line, but he headed the ball straight at Morris-Sanders, who held the powerful effort well.

Ollie Morris-Sanders saved from Alex Rhodes on 79 minutes, getting down low well enough to tip Rhodes’ free-kick around the post for a corner.

Swifts took the lead on 84 minutes after a rare pass and move attack down the centre of the field resulted in Tom Broadhurst having the ball at his feet with just Russell to beat. Broadhurst hit the ball under Russell from 15 yards and put any worries of an extra 30 minutes of drab football to rest. It was a neat piece of football from the Swifts who for seasons now have been renowned for their ugly, draw specialising tactics.

The Referee obviously didn’t want extra-time either as he denied Canvey the most blatant penalty on 88 minutes. Jay Curran had received a well worked ball in the box but was pushed off the ball by Nathan Smith and not just budged, but two arms outstretched and shoved away, pushed. The Referee who was only ten yards away said no though and Smith escaped a certain caution.

Nathan Clarke did receive a booking though on 91 minutes but it has to be said with a braver Referee this game may have had a different result. Both Billy Hawes and Danny Barber could count their selves lucky to remain on the pitch the whole ninety minutes and Heybridge will also be grateful that Morris-Sanders was ever reliable when called upon. Canvey though will have to regroup for Tuesday night’s fixture where it’s more than likely guaranteed that we’ll see a few changes made and players back in their regular positions.

F/T: Canvey Island 0 - 1 Heybridge Swifts