Canvey 2 2 Exeter

[YELLOW]

A thoroughly deserved point but we left it very late to get the draw.

 

We made the perfect start going in front after a few minutes. A great cross from the left by Duffers was headed home powerfully at the far post by Junior.

 

Exeter had a great deal of pressure in the first half but we defended extremely well. They won several corners but for the most part didn't create too many clear cut chances. There were a couple of near misses but the back four especially Smithy were very solid.

 

You always felt that Exeter would really come at us in the second half and they did just that. We were forced back and found it very difficult to retain possesion or really create anything up front.

 

It wasn't much of a surprise when Steve Flack headed home an equaliser after a cross from the right on 66 minutes. Exeter had threatened earlier and Gulls fans expected the worst.

 

Canvey picked themselves up though and found some new energy. A great interchange between Junior and Jon Keeling saw Keeling's shot saved by the keeper. Our defensive frailties came back to haunt us with a bizarre goal.

 

It seemed a routine header back to the goalie from Dom Sterling but he put a little too much pace on it and Ash allowed it to slip through his hands into the net. With 9 minutes left it looked curtains.

 

We finished the game on the offensive and started to win a few corners. A touch by a defender prevented Greggors from reaching the ball at the back post and with Exeter's pacy counter attacking it was a rip roaring finale to the game.

 

In the dying seconds of injury time we won a corner. Even Wardy came up for it. What a story it would have been if Wardy had stolen the equaliser but it was in fact Dave Mcghee who climbed to power a header into the bottom corner of the net. The majority of the 921 crowd went ballistic and with Northwich winning and FGR drawing this was a vital point.

 

Credit to the Yellow Army who were absolutely brilliant in their support. Constant singing for the entire 90 minutes and with Exeter bringing a rough estimate of around 200 supporters it seems there was a few more than the usual crowd.

 

Victory at Leigh on Tuesday would almost seal Conference status in my opinion. FGR may have drawn today but Tamworth was probably won of their easier games.

 

MOM for me was either Smithy or Macca. Smithy made a couple of great last ditch challenges and Macca was superb in midfield. Passing was a bit awry but his tackling and work rate were second to none.

 

Though Jeff was very quiet and didn't really get into the game. Great goal by Junior but didn't deserve the sponsor's man of the match.

 

I would have taken a draw today before the start of the game and felt we deserved it. If we show the same spirit in the remaining games we will be fine!!

[Merv]

Ash worried my today. His kicking was erratic, his catching was dubious and his punching was awkward. Exeter realised he was iffy in the air and sent in lots of corners very close to goal, but somehow we managed to hold on.

 

One of Danny's strengths is that he commands his area and lets all the defenders know exactly what he wants them to do. I thought Ash was slow off his line for Exeter's first goal and for the second he should have made sure Sterling knew exactly where he was. But perhaps that is what happens when a good keeper gets no match practice all season and suddenly has to come into the team? Thhis was not the Ash we all know and love of old.

 

The Man of the Match award is becoming a bit of a joke. Today's award was the third one running that was met with derision by the crowd around me. Agree with Yellow in his nomination of Buzz. I thought he had a great game.

 

More goals given away today which means more points given away. We don't seem to get much luck at the moment but perhaps we are not making much of our own luck. Have to ask the manager why he allowed the team to continue with the tactic of long high balls for so much of the game. It doesn't work! We came to life late in the second half when we started playing the game that we play so well - to feet. High crosses are one thing (we scored two goals that way today) but long balls down the length of the pitch were easily cleared by Exeter.

 

Brilliant game by The Yellow Army. The twelfth man got us that late equaliser. Well done, you noisy b@$tard$.

[CIFC - Y.A]

I guess I'm the only one who thought McGhee had a poor game? Seemed to be hoofing the ball into mid-air constantly with the same kind of slicing of the ball as he did for his own goal last week.

 

I have no doubt in my mind he's a good player, but I'd rather see Mario or someone in his place for the time being, some of his kicks could of created Exeter the perfect chance.

 

All in all, a slightly better performance in my opinion, Exeter didn't play as well as I expected, fortunately. Hopefully we can get a win against Leigh and have quite a bit of weight off our shoulders.

 

Support was brilliant today, best I've seen at home all season, well done everyone!

[wayno]

MERV,

 

Have to disagree with your comments on Ash mate!

Our stewards did a great job on Steve Perryman today by telling him he had to move from the Directors box because he kept standing up and shouting at his players.

He then moved and stood next to us at the press box and he carried on shouting at his players, and phoning his manager to tell him what to do !!

One thing he did do was praise our players, especially Ashley's left foot kicking that never went out of play and mostly found our men !

He made numerous phone calls to the bench telling them to shut out this channel.

He didn't drop a cross all afternoon, but you are possibly right about his punching. But hey, how much proper practice has he had because of Danny's excellent form?

Ash hasn't played much this year and great credit to the management for rewarding him another game when they could have brought Danny straight back in.

 

Perryman also praised Jeff Minton's strength and skill throughout and said he should be playing at a higher level than he is at the moment.

 

I thought Junior had a good game today, playing upfront on your own is a difficult job (i've done it many times myself, not at this level, granted) but players available, only he could do that today.

 

Buzz, i agree had a good game but my choice was Macca (CIFC YA you are on your own again there !

 

HOWEVER, that bloody drum is what we need and the support was fantastic today as you probably heard when i hyper ventilated at full time. Well done to you all and carry it on at all the remaining games.

 

For the record, what a top man Steve Perryman is, had a lot of good words about our boys and a nice bloke to speak football with.

 

 

Bound to get loads of stick now from the players who read this, but they need positive reactions not negatives that they already know!

 

See you all on Tuesday at Leigh ???

[Guest]

Wayno

 

I agree with everything except about Minton, I am a real fan off his but he just dont seem to be all the way back yet.

 

As for the subs I would never have done what Jeff did and his decisions were vindicated, he obviously knows a bit more than me.

 

Did Greggors not try to claim the equaliser, I am sure it came of the inside of his left leg as he let it roll through them, I would have claimed a back heel thats what it looked like he tried to do. I was right behind him.

[wayno]

Mick,

 

Agree with you about Mints, i dont think he is totally at the top of his game yet, but still a player who most teams in this league would like.

What he does do though is make room for other players when he seems to have 3 players around him at most. We all have opinions about our players' good and bad qualities (me included). But from a man who has made a lot of appearances at the top, his comments today mirror many that have been passed my way this year.

 

Paul Fairclough for instance, at home said we would be top 10. On Monday he walked off the pitch and said we gave them 2 bloody hard games.

 

We have learnt an awful amount this year in this league, on and especially off the field!

We were never going to win it straight off and consolidation is what we need. We are going in the right direction and the boys need 150% support at all times.

Bear in mind they all have jobs as well as being nearly full time players as well.

[Guest]

100%

 

I have kept a copy of Jeff's coments at the begining of the season about what we should expect and everything he has said so far has come true.

 

It has been hard, but we have never been out classed not once.

 

I cant wait for next year apparently I am getting a season ticket for my birthday and two games against Cambridge, it will be worth the money on its own.

[wayno]

And we look forward to a continued progress for our club.

 

I hope that next season when we try to advertise our club as far afield as Herongate for ballboys, when you never turned up!!

When you bring 13 kids for a quid (how do i do one of those bloody smily things?) Dont you be a smart [****!!****] Ian (LOL).

 

Its not that bad when our advertising stretches that far into the community( its the canvey people that let us down).

 

Our supporters have and no doubt will keep on coming to the lane, but to push on , we need more!

 

BTW. IF any one one wants My music DJ bit b4 the game apply within! (Bugger where is that smiley fecker)?

[Guest]

I was best man at a wedding in Cyprus and it Pissed down against Leigh RMI and it cost me £68 for the mobile phone call to hear the whole game live and how my boys were doing.

[Staying-up]

Thought we deserved our point today we fought really hard and our defence was superb today and had to cope with a lot of pressure from Exeter.

Only disappointing thing was that we sat back too much and let Exeter come at us and they were bound to score eventually. Once we went 2-1 we threw caution to the wind and caused Exeter all kinds of problems and deerved our equalizer.

We have had some very hard fixtures in the last few weeks but we are through them now and they do get a bit easier now.

 

I think we will win at Leigh RMI on Tuesday as long as we don't sit back and instead go out on the attack. Hopefully Boylan will be back and can score a couple.

It has been a hard season but I think we are slowly getting the right formation and will be stronger next season.

Well done ot the Yellow army they were fantastic today and long may it continue.

[FleetFanatic]

Quote:

MOB said:
I cant wait for next year apparently I am getting a season ticket for my birthday and two games against Cambridge, it will be worth the money on its own.

You might want to make sure that you are definately safe first?

[Guest]

Quote:

wayno said:

HOWEVER, that bloody drum is what we need and the support was fantastic today as you probably heard when i hyper ventilated at full time. Well done to you all and carry it on at all the remaining games.

you are right wayno the drum is good it gets everyone singing but the only trouble is i cannot keep bring it because its not mine so why dont the club get a few and then its up to the yellow army to sing!!!

THE GULLS ARE STAYING UP!!!!

[Guest]

Canveyboy63

How much is a drum if it is less than £100 I am happy to buy you one for next seasson as long as you all keep banging it.

 

Do you want this. I will bid for it.

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?V...bayphotohosting

[Guest]

Hiya,

 

Well done to Canvey. I didn't think you were better than us, but at the same time didn't think we were better than you - so using that logic i suppose a draw was a fair result.

 

I think you'll have no problem staying up, however time wasting from the 87th minute was a little extreme.

 

I see that your keeper gets a mention earlier on this thread. As a former Grecian I would like to have seen Danny Potter in goal, but that chap that did play between the sticks looked a bit dodgey to me. Lot's of punches when he could have caught. I just wish we'd tested him a bit more from our millions of corners. Also your keeper was quite simply a cheat. He was taking his place goal kicks from a yard outside his six yard box. With the lino on the other side this went un-noticed, but not by the City fans behind the goal. I know it's quite pedantic and wouldnt make much difference, but it is still blatant and intentional cheating and wound me up.

 

You have probably one of the biggest defences in the Conference, and I must admit they looked very strong and did a great job all game. I'm not sure why we puttle little pint-sized Les Afful up against one of your giants.

 

Good luck for your remaining games, you'll be safe I'm sure of it.

 

Tim - owner of ECFCfans

[Guest]

i remember you telling me that.

your lads were excellent that day. hopefully they'll want to attend again next season.

wayno

[Guest]

yer that will be great is a nice big one aswell (hehe)lots of noise

 

THE GULLS ARE STAYING UP!!!!!!!!

[YELLOW]

I thought that Afful gave us a few problems with his pace and skill but admittedly Exeter didn't really look a threat in attack until Steve Flack came on.

 

This is a very good point considering Exeter held Man United to a draw. Not sure how they lost 4-1 to Grays in the Trophy. Grays must have been pretty awesome that day.

[Guest]

Yes Grays were awesome that day.

 

Flack has been coming off the bench well recently.

 

PS - I meant for 87 minutes, not from the 87th minute above! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

[YELLOW]

Grays beat Burton 5-0 yesterday. To do that to any Conference side is impressive.

[Staying-up]

Wonder how many fans Grays will take to Villa Park?

It will be far less than we took there for sure.