CANVEY Island claimed their first victory of pre-season with an entertaining 4-3 win against National League South side Chelmsford City at the Prospects Stadium.

Richard Halle nodded in the opener for the Gulls from Glenn Poole’s corner.

Halle was outmuscled at the other end by Hugo Skepelhorn who levelled on 27 minutes.

Canvey were back in from four minutes into the restart when the ball was worked through to Dan Gilchrist inside the box and he scored at the second attempt.

Martin Tuohy converted Harrison Chatting’s cross to make it 3-1 before Charlie Henry pulled one back from the spot after referee Steve Parmenter – who was part of Canvey’s 2001 FA Trophy winning side – penalised Charlie Pardoe.

Tuohy got his second to restore Canvey’s two-goal advantage before Chelmsford were again given a penalty.

This time, however, Billy Bricknall’s spot kick was saved by Flo Gislette.

Yet another penalty was conceded by Canvey as the match entered injury time when Steve Sheehan mistimed a sliding tackle on what was now a slippery surface due to rainfall. Charlie Henry this time hit his penalty straight down the middle to score his second and Chelmsford’s third.