Brentwood Town 3-3 Canvey Island

From the Brentwood Arena

Ryman Premier League

 

CANVEY Island threw away a three-goal lead to draw a dramatic match 3-3 with Essex neighbours Brentwood Town.

Things were looking rosy for the Gulls after 55 minutes, as goals from Tony Stokes, Steve Sheehan and an own goal from former Canvey man Leon Gordon had put them in control.

But things unravelled quickly for the visitors. Despite both manager and assistant being sent to the stands, Brentwood rallied and scored an injury-time leveller to boost their survival hopes.

Canvey were looking for back-to-back wins against Ryman Premier League strugglers.

A 1-0 win against Farnborough handed the Gulls only their second league win since the end of November and Danny Heale was desperate for more points at their Essex neighbours.

After a slow start, the game burst into life in somewhat controversial circumstances.

With 17 minutes on the clock, good link up play between Martin Tuohy and Tony Stokes saw the latter place a shot inside the far post.

The goal incensed Brentwood, who felt Stokes should have been penalised for a foul in the build-up, with assistant manager Chris Smith sent to the stands for his protestations.

And that seemed to throw Brentwood, who went 2-0 down after 30 minutes, although it was a Brentwood man’s name on the scoresheet.

Gordon, who scored a winning goal for the Gulls earlier in the season, headed a Jake Pitty free-kick past his own stopper.

And it got no better for the hosts when Lewis Knight was taken off after a hefty challenge from Tambeson Eyong, with the defender later understood to have broken his foot in the challenge.

There was still time for a third goal before the half was out. Harrison Chatting’s deep cross found Steve Sheehan and he buried a header past on-loan Concord keeper Ollie Bowles.

Brentwood improved after the break, with Robbie Rees’ drive flying narrowly wide of the upright, and on the hour mark they were back in it.

Tom Richardson climbed above Lawrence Yiga to make it 3-1, although Brentwood boss Mike Flanagan was still far from pleased, as he joined his assistant in the stand soon after after he had too much to say.

But, on the field, Town were roaring back into contention. Bradley Nobbs made it 3-2 with a close range header as the pressure continued to build.

Stokes almost got his second, only for his former Concord colleague Bowles to keep him out, while Richardson shot narrowly wide at the other end.

But the drama was not over, as Martyn Stokes buried an effort in stoppage time to complete a remarkable 90 minutes.

 

Canvey Island: Gough, Pitty, Mbulu, Eyong, Sheehan, Yiga, Curran, Chatting, Gilbey, Tuohy (James-Lewis), Stokes,