CANVEY ISLAND 1 SUTTON UTD 1

Report by Tony Dolbear

Sutton's fine battling performance at Park Lane on Saturday fully deserved the point it earned, but wasn't enough to end Canvey Island's hopes of promotion as Gravesend's surprise defeat at home to Boreham Wood actually left the Essex side in a better position than they had been before the game. It's been a nervous run in for both teams, and might have been more so for Canvey Island but for the award of a controversial penalty in the dying seconds of a first half that had seen Sutton increase the home fans' anxiety by defending well and threatening a couple of times to take the lead themselves. Former Sutton midfielder Danny Bolt went over under a challenge from Scott Corbett on the edge of the area close to the left by line, and after appearing at first to ignore the appeals referee Mike Russell then pointed to the penalty spot. U's felt hard done by, particularly as the challenge looked as though it might have been made outside the area, but the referee, whose has a key role in the championship race as he is scheduled to take charge of Gravesend's game at Bedford on Saturday, waved away the protests and Steve Tilson sent Tommy Dunn the wrong way from the spot. From the evidence of the first half that was about the only way Dunn was to be beaten, as he made a superb tip over from Tilson's 9th minute free kick, and eight minutes later threw himself in the way of a close range Spencer Knight effort when U's failed to clear another free kick. The Essex side had much the better of the early stages as U's struggled to keep the ball long enough to ease the pressure, but when the goal didn't come the edginess began to creep in and U's began to pose a threat on the break. Eddie Akuamoah took advantage of one mistake to go free on the right and fire in a shot that was tipped away by Ashley Harrison, and seven minutes before half time a good link up between Rob Haworth and Dave Timothy ended with the ball falling to Akuamoah again, but again his effort was turned aside by Harrison. U's could feel pleased with their efforts, ill deserving the decision that went against them, and although Canvey will point to an earlier apparent handball by Haworth that could have led to a penalty, U's also had claims when Haworth's header appeared to strike Micky Bennett's hand. No sooner had Tilson converted the penalty than the half time whistle went, with the atmosphere changed markedly, but if U's had failed to get the rub of the green then, the situation was different right at the start of the second half when Adam Miller had the ball in the net but the whistle had already been blown for a foul on Lee Boylan. Given that U's suffered a similar frustration at St Albans when Haworth was clear it was a good example of decisions evening themselves out, and they survived this and other early second half scares, and the departure of Paul Honey following a bad first half challenge for which Miller was booked, to silence the home crowd just after the hour mark. Matt Gray, on for Honey, was sent through by Corbett on the right and outpaced Ben Chenery before firing in a low cross that was met at full speed by Haworth, who sent the ball flashing in to the roof of the net. Two minutes later U's could have been behind again when Mike Mison failed to cut out a through ball, and then compounded his error by nudging Boylan off the ball as the league's leading scorer closed in on goal. This time U's could have few complaints about the decision, but Dunn came to the rescue by winning the battle of wits with Tilson, who sent his penalty in the opposite direction from the first but saw Dunn dive the same way and save. As Canvey became more anxious their efforts became more direct, but U's defended well and most of the shots that the home team managed went high or wide. Boylan flashed one shot across the face of goal, Miller shot wide when well placed and Neil Gregory put a header just wide, while Mison gave Dunn as much of a fright as any home striker when his headed claeracnce flew just too high. That was nothing, though, compared to the misunderstanding between Harrison and defender Steve Ward which could have given U's the lead 18 minutes from time, but Ward watched in relief as his header from Timothy's long cross trickled inches wide of the post. Although most of the pressure came from Canvey U's could still have claimed all three points as Gray posed a threat whenever he attacked, and in what should have been the last minute he battled past two challenges to leave himself with just Harrison to beat. The keeper saved, and Timothy couldn't get the rebound under control before being closed down. U's had to survive nearly six minutes of stoppage time to go with the four that Mr Russell had played in the first half, another point of contention concerning the penalty, but deservedly did so to take an excellent point.

Canvey Island: Harrison, Bolt(Stimson H-T), Duffy, Chenery, Ward, Bennett, Tilson, Boylan, Gregory, Miller, Knight(Cobb 84). Sub n/u Vaughan.

Sutton: Dunn, Palmer, Gonsalves, Mison, Hammonds, Honey(Gray 50), Timothy, Corbett, Wingfield, Haworth, Akuamoah. Subs n/u Fowler, Bailey

Referee: M Russell Attendance:808

U's reserves ended their Suburban League campaign on Saturday in disappointing fashion, going down 5-1 at Hendon, although with Monday's Surrey Premier Cup final in mind U's had a young side out and manager Phil Dunn was called in to action as a substitute. Dean Hamlin scored U's goal.