CANVEY'S play-off push was dealt a blow with an unlucky single goal defeat to a visiting Bury Town side tonight.

The Gulls shaded the first half and dominated the second, but failed to take one of several good chances.

Bury scored the decisive goal in the 26th minute when Sam Reed was afforded space on the left to pick out an unmarked John Sands in the six-yard box and he glanced his header inside the post.

Jay Curran - who started up front after Louis Dennis was recalled from his loan by Dagenham & Redbridge - had a great chance to equalise minutes later when put in on goal by Bradley Woods-Garness, but he pulled his shot wide under pressure from both centre backs.

But the hosts were lucky not to go 2-0 down when Nicolas Bondon's mistake allowed Sands to set-up Reed, but he dragged wide from 20 yards.

Canvey had loud claims for a penalty turned down just before the break when Woods-Garness tumbled under a challenge from Adam Tann.

Woods-Garness dragged a shot wide when well placed early in the second half, and then the Gulls' top scorer headed against the face of the bar from an Ashley Dumas corner.

And it looked certain Woods-Garness would score from Dumas' inviting cross soon after, but he side-footed wide with the goal at his mercy.

And when Rickie Hayles headed down and wide from yet another Dumas corner it really was starting to look like one of them nights for the Gulls.

Rob King hit a shot over the bar from a long way out with five minutes to go, and then the home skipper headed over from Dumas' free-kick.

And in the dying seconds Bury keeper Marcus Garnham made a terrific point-blank save to keep out Curran's instinctive volley from six yards.

Canvey (4-4-2): Jones; Miller, Orlu, Hayles, Bondon; Chatting (Heale 77), King, Hawes (Gilbey 84), Dumas; Curran, Woods-Garness.