Maidstone United 0-1 Canvey Island

Maidstone United: -

Abingdon United: Curran 81

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Maidstone United: Pat Mullin, Nathan Paul, Craig Roser, Ben Lewis, Mario McNish (Chris Smalling 68), James Peacock, Sam Tydeman, Aaron Lacy, Mo Takalobighashi (Ray Freeman 65), Andy Martin, Nick Hegley Subs (not used): Jim Bodle, Lee Shearer

Canvey Island: Ricky Wiseman, Craig Davison, Andrew West, Jon Stuart, Colin Wall. Clydie Roberts, Leon Gordon, Gabriel Fanybuyan, Nick Rugg )John Curran 72), Danny Curran, Chris Bourne Subs (not used): Ryan Edgar, Ian Luck, Matt Reade, Mel Cappleton

Alan Walker (2MB)

Earlier this season, Maidstone United hosted Canvey Island in an Isthmian League Cup tie at Bourne Park. On that occasion the fixture produced seven goals and an abundance of attacking play as The Stones chalked up a 5-2 victory. Today’s fare could not have been more contrary in its appeal.

This FA Carlsberg Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round tie was almost totally bereft of quality from the start to the finish and the only saving grace regarding Danny Curran’s 81st minute goal was that nobody will have to put up with the agony of watching these two sides in a replay next Tuesday.

A typical cold and windy afternoon at the bleaker than normal Bourne Park faced the two teams and the crowd of 389 spectators, a good number of which had travelled from Essex. It has to be said that one of the afternoon’s only highlights was the fantastic vocal backing given to The Islanders by their supporters. The first half saw an amalgam of home and visiting fans in the covered stand behind the goal giving their vocal best to whichever team that they followed. A fat lot of good that did though!!

The oft used phrase that pertains to banjos, the rear end of bovine creatures and an inability to locate said rear end, was more than appropriate for the majority of this game. The home side’s sole effort of note in the first half saw Andy Martin collect Craig Roser’s accurate through ball. A deft piece of control by the Welshmen allowed him to fire a shot towards Ricky Wiseman in the Canvey Island goal but the keeper was more than good enough to block the somewhat tame strike.

Canvey for their part had a half chance in the 34th minute. A free kick from wide on the right sailed into the United penalty area and for a few seconds, the six yard box resembled a pinball table as Pat Mullin partly punched the ball away and striker Nick Rugg failed to make a decent connection with the ball directly in front of goal. Maidstone were fortunate to be able to scramble the ball away to safety.

On the rare occasion that anybody from either side was able to put their foot on the ball, the moment stood out above the mediocrity that was par for the course throughout the game. One such instance saw Nathan Paul beat three opponents in midfield and as he saw daylight (and the goal) beyond central defender Colin Wall, he surged past the rangy Canvey player. At least he tried to. The ball was away but Paul was not as Wall cynically tripped the Maidstone player. A clear foul was committed, with almost a goal scoring opportunity arising but not quite. Referee John O’Brien produced a yellow card and Wall had “taken one” for the team.

This incident became particularly relevant to proceedings in the 51st minute of the game. Sam Tydeman knocked the ball beyond Wall as he tried to create an attack for the home side. Those that followed the direction of the ball would not have seen Wall’s late and somewhat clumsy challenge on Tydeman. However, they might well have heard it. The clatter of studs on shin guard resonated across the ground. Tydeman hit the deck as did Wall. Mr O’Brien blew his whistle and reached for his pocket to produce a second yellow card for Wall. Without argument the Canvey player trudged off to the sanctuary of the much warmer dressing room to leave his remaining 10 colleagues to battle for the remainder of the game against their higher league opposition.

The numerical advantage afforded to The Stones was not noticeable though and the opportunity to pressure The Islanders was criminally wasted by a team that looked as if they had never met each before the game had kicked off. The home fans were becoming restless but the away fans were almost oblivious to the on-field action as they had their own noisy “party” behind Pat Mullin’s goal for the entire second half. Credit where credit is due, the Canvey support was continuous, joyous, boisterous, loud and sustained throughout the second 45 minutes and this support was rewarded for their efforts in the 81st minute.

The game’s one moment of true quality saw Jon Stuart surge along the left wing before he delivered a fantastic cross with pace into the Maidstone United penalty area. Danny Curran saw this cross early and met the ball with force and timing. It was no surprise as the ball whistled past Mullin and nestled into the corner of the net.

The Essex side were more than capable of withstanding the “onslaught” that The Stones directed towards them after this. An “onslaught” so severe that only one direct effort was managed on goal in the time that remained. Nick Hegley was sent clean through in the 93rd minute. He cut inside from his favoured left foot onto his much weaker right foot and attempted to drive the ball past Wiseman from 20 yards. The fact that Wiseman was able to almost fall onto the ball as he saved it belied the weakness of Hegley’s swinger. His right foot proving at this particular moment, that it is only really useful for standing on.

Mr O’Brien allowed just over four minutes of additional time and the final whistle saw two extremes of response from the two camps. The Maidstone followers headed directly for the exits at record speed, partly in response to the bitter cold but mainly through the frustration and disappointment of a thoroughly disappointing and sub-standard performance from their team. The Canvey Island fans roared in ecstasy and the pace of their “terrace party” rose markedly. The cardboard cut out of Homer Simpson, resplendent in Canvey’s colours of white shirt and pale blue trousers was engulfed by fans and players of the Essex side alike as the celebration began behind the goal that had been occupied by Pat Mullin.

Canvey are previous winners of this famous competition but it is unlikely that they will win it again this year. You can bet that they will enjoy having a go at it though. Homer and his Essex mates could be visiting a Conference club on 15th December given some luck in Monday’s First Round Proper Draw.

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