Harrow Borough 1–0 Canvey Island

From the Earlsmead Stadium

Ryman Premier League

 

CANVEY Island were undone by Harrow Borough in a game they really shouldn’t have lost.

The Gulls wasted a number of guilt-edged chances at the London side to return to Canvey empty-handed, and ensure they will still be looking over their shoulders as they bid to remain in the division.

Canvey Island were boosted by the news that John Batch had returned as chairman ahead of the match.

The Gulls found themselves under pressure as early as the third minute, when Tim Brown was called into action to tip a goal-bound Lewis Driver effort around the post.

Canvey responded, with the lively front three of George Sykes, Jack Simmons and Enoch Showunmi combined for the latter to shoot at goal, but he pulled his effort wide.

Sykes came close next before John Easterford crashed a header off the bar, only for him to see the offside flag had been raised.

Canvey were in the ascendancy, with Sykes again denied by Harrow stopper Nick Jupp.

The Barnet man, who extended his loan at Canvey for a further month last week, was a central figure and should have opened the visitors account four minutes before the break. Jay Curran played him in but he passed his effort the wrong side of the post.

Canvey were almost made to rue their profligacy in front of goal when Marc Charles-Smith bore down on Brown as the half-time whistle beckoned, but he could only shoot wide.

The second-half was a much tighter affair, with neither goalkeeper properly tested in the first 30 minutes of the second period.

And it was Harrow that made the breakthrough, with former Billericay Town man Kameron English heavily involved in the build-up. He broke past Josh Banton and after his shot was blocked, David Taylor shot through the legs of Brown for the opening goal.

Brown stopped Harrow adding a second, with Showunmi denied a late equaliser, but it was a day to forget for Canvey.

 

Canvey Island: Brown, Collis, Dumas, Smith, Banton (Agyakwa), Easterford, Sykes, Chatting (Dobinson), Showunmi, Curran, Simmons