Not beautiful, but 3 points all the same.

[Merv]

I know it has now become something of a Merv cliché, but when Canvey are not playing beautiful, stylish and flowing football they are simply digging in and grinding out a result. Today was not attractive football but the three points look positively gorgeous – ask Hendon.

 

If the football wasn’t total entertainment the referee certainly was. I can’t remember a more indecisive official in a long time and Hendon have a good reason to feel hard done by. On 27 minutes he awarded a free-kick 35yds out from the Hendon goal. Just as the visitors were getting ready to take it, the man in black appeared to change his mind and decided it was a Canvey free-kick after all. Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Ollie Berquez took the kick quickly and, with the defence not yet organised, he found Lee Boylan in acres of space 20yds out. Boyly soon found himself in a one-on-one with the ‘keeper and he had no hesitation in putting Canvey into the lead.

 

That’s when it really became fun. The ref was immediately surrounded by green and white shirts and he was almost decked twice by Hendon players who were remonstrating with him over his bizarre change of decision. Dave Anderson, the Hendon manager, almost got involved in the altercation but the assistant referee stepped in and managed to keep him away from the action. Once the ref had calmed the players down he then went over and spoke to the manager and then ordered him from the field of play. I timed him and he took almost 3 minutes to walk from the dugout, across the pitch towards the dressing rooms. Steve Ward, ever the funny man, mockingly pushed him along for a few yards before he stopped altogether to crouch down to tie his shoelace.

 

A few minutes later the ref gave a another free-kick to Hendon following a foul by Lee Boylan, but while he was lecturing Boyly for the offence Hendon took the kick. The ref hadn’t blown his whistle and he certainly wasn’t ready for the kick to be taken. The look on his face suggested that he was annoyed but he simply shrugged his shoulders and tried to catch up with play. From the free-kick the ball went to a Hendon player who was in an off-side position. The flag went up and at this point the ref decided that the original free-kick should be re-taken. Out of his depth, or what?

 

Canvey totally dominated the first half and they came close to scoring on so many occasions. Hendon, on the other hand, only managed to get in a couple of shots that were anywhere near the target. Fans were anticipating another goal rush but today but it just wouldn’t happen.

 

The second half was totally different kettle of fish. Hendon came back from licking their wounds and started to play some good passing football. They were right back in the game and Danny Potter certainly earned his money, pulling off several outstanding saves. Canvey were still making chances but partly due to some poor shooting, partly due to some inspired saves and partly due to the ball just not bouncing their way, the scoreline stayed the same.

 

Fans around me were happy that the points were in the bag when the final whistle went (somewhat early by my watch) and the consensus was that once upon a time this was the sort of game that Canvey could easily have drawn or even lost. Today they were always going to win. There was a dogged determination from every player to stay in front and not be ground down, regardless of what the visitors might throw at them. That seems to be the way of things this season when things are not going their way.

 

My man of the match was John Kennedy. He keeps popping up everywhere on the pitch and his work rate is a consistent 110%. If only he would acknowledge the fans a bit more, he would walk away with the SPOTY award.

 

[Phil Old Boy]

Good report on the whole as usual Merv. Just would like to say though that the result was in doubt and we were hanging on a bit at the end there. Also, I reckon they had more clear cut chances than us overall.

You could see their plan was to close us down and they had the all important pace and stamina to do this for most of the game. Their No.10, was he the captain, should have been booked for that "tackle" on Ollie but the ref did not even have a word.

 

Was bit of a wake up after such a game last week.

[CANV EFM]

good stuff Merv..they had pace and were well organised..but lacked a bit of that 'extra something' that could make them real contenders.. maybe next seasons dark horses..

as for the rest of the top of the league..

 

'shalton dig in and are sure of conf 1 footy now (at the very least!!)

you have to take your hat off to them for the way they have consolidated on their good start..

 

purfleet are the team im worrying about most now.. i thought it would be hornchurch but the boys from the hotel are obviously being inspired by the crow.. im looking forward to our game there..

 

hayes must be out of the race now along with kettering..

 

the full timers are neck and neck.. grays coming good (really looking forward to what may be our last trip to the 'rec') and hornchurch still struggling to score enough goals to compliment that mean defence, maybe they play 6-3-1 ;-) ..

 

[CANV EFM]

forgot to mention stortford.. on fire at mom! im pretty glad we have got our second game with them out of the way.. they have moved up from zero'sville to right back into the top 13 action.. i know ive been looking forward a lot tonight but im also really looking forward to the battle for the top 13 as well... some big names could miss out

[Paul Butler(HendonFC)]

How on earth the referee did what he did I'm still unsure. Our keeper was our best player and you lot are certainly not top of the league by accident, but our performance merited a draw today, and if it wasn't for that tw*t of a ref, we'd have got it.

 

Best of luck for the rest of the season (as if you need it) and in the Conference next year.

 

Highlights video from behind your goal for those of you who want to see Danny Potter playing well, can be found at www.hendonfc.tk

 

We only seem to do well against you when Harrison's in goal!?!

 

Still in Shock

 

PB

[Merv]

I suppose that in a promotion season any club needs to have a couple of factors. The most obvious one is to have a strong squad who can play a bit but, alongside that and almost as important, are the less easily identified factors such as luck or good fortune.

 

IMO Canvey have been good enough to go up for the past couple of seasons but they have lost out due to these other factors. The end of season fixture congestion fiasco cost us dear three seasons ago. The season after that it appeared there was a Judas in the squad who, the story goes, had already agreed terms with a rival club and there was an inexplicable run of bad form for the last games of the season, again costing the club dear.

 

If 2003/04 is to be Canvey's season (notice the IF, nobody is taking anything for granted this year) then the bounce of the ball, the idiosyncrasies of the referee and the timing of injuries and suspensions have got to go with us for at least some of the time. Yesterday the referee appears to have gifted Canvey the winning goal. Not the best way to win, but that's the way the cookie sometimes crumbles.

 

Paul's comments above, and his comments on the Hendon website, are very gracious and sporting. I doubt I would have been quite so magnanimous were I in his postion. Similarly, had the referee's decision gone the other way yesterday and Canvey had concended an 'iffy' goal the fans would have gone balisitc and far from walking slowly off the pitch, I suggest Jeff King would have had to be carried from the dugout with the help of six burly men and a straight jacket.

 

Thanks for the kind comments Paul. Best of luck in Hendon's campaign for the covetted runners-up spot ;-)