RYMAN PREMIER

Canvey 3, Horsham 1

CANVEY gave their promotion prospects a healthy boost with an assured win over a toothless Horsham side.

Goals from Rob King, Jason Hallett and Alex Rhodes were enough to move them to within four points of the play-offs.

And with defeats for local rivals Billericay and Concord, and a draw between top-five placed Kingstonian and Tonbridge, it was a very satisfying afternoon all-round for John Batch’s Yellow Army.

And it was as welcomed as it was deserved for the Gulls, whose last win was at home to bottom-club Croydon in early February.

Jay Curran was a notable absentee when the Canvey line-up was announced; Batch confirmed he was missing through injury.

It meant a start for Leon Gordon on the right, with top-scorer Rob King moving into the middle, and Jason Hallett up front.

And it was Hallett’s persistence which led to the opening goal on five minutes.

He raced onto a ball over the top and received a boot in the face for his trouble from centre back Paul Kennett.

The defender was booked before King curled the resulting free kick into the bottom corner.

Horsham should have levelled on 15 minutes when Ashley Dumas’ poor back-pass put Steve Davis in a foot race with keeper James Russell.

The keeper’s last-ditch clearance went to Jamie Cade and his low side foot towards the exposed goal was hacked off the line by skipper Chris Moore.

And that clearance fell kindly for Billy Dunn but, with the goal at his mercy, he sliced a shot against the outside of the post.

The visitors were made to pay for the profligacy on 22 minutes when Rhodes’ shot-cum-cross was bundled home on the line by Hallett.

The visitors went close to pulling one back on 28 minutes when Matt Game fouled Dunn, and the striker tested Canvey keeper James Russell from the resulting free kick.

Canvey almost put the game to bed three minutes after the restart when Dumas’ cross was only half cleared, and Game flashed a shot narrowly wide from 20 yards.

And soon after - when Heale’s close range effort was smothered, following a neat pass from Game - it looked like it would be when, not if, Canvey would extend their lead.

And so it proved on 64 minutes when centre back Jahmahl King failed to deal with Hallett’s cross, and Rhodes took a steadying touch before lashing the bouncing ball into the bottom corner.

Horsham’s top scorer Patrick Harding came off the bench with 20 minutes to go and, with his first touch, played in Jamie Cade, and he fired coolly into the bottom corner.

It was no more than Horsham deserved for a plucky performance in a refreshingly open game.

And although the great comeback never really looked on, it might have been interesting if skipper Anthony Storey had steered his effort inside the post instead of against it with six minutes to go.

But this was Canvey’s day and their loyal support were only content to end their lengthy chant of “Yellow Army” with a hearty cheer at the sound of the fulltime whistle.

Canvey (4-4-2): Russell; West, Moore (Ailele 66), Easterford, Dumas; Gordon (Dobinson 70), King, Game, Rhodes; Hallett (Skidmore 77), Heale.

Echo MOM: Matt Game (Canvey)

* Full round up and photographs of all the weekend's non-league action in Monday's Echo sport.