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02.09.2003 at 19:45 Park Lane

Attendance : 589

Canvey Island

4 - 0

St Albans City
Referee : R Beevor Ryman Premier League

Goalscorers
Neil Gregory (17)
Lee Boylan (21, 31)
Steve Parmenter (78)		 None.
Opening squads
Danny Potter
John Kennedy
Chris Duffy
Ben Chenery
David Theobald
Steve Ward
Ty Gooden
Jeff Minton
Neil Gregory
Lee Boylan
Neil Midgeley		 Richard Wilmot
Lee Gledhill
Corey Campbell
Derek Brown
Miguel De Souza
Mark Graham
Steve Castle
Gary Wraight
Scott Oakes
Matt Glynn
Greg Deacon
Substitutes
Ashley Harrison
Steve Parmenter
Ollie Burquez
Michael Bennett
Gavin Cowan		 Barry White
Graeme Tomlinson
Nic McDonnell
Chris Seeby
Substitutions
Ashley Harrison -> Danny Potter (46)
Steve Parmenter -> Ty Gooden (60)
Ollie Burquez -> Neil Midgeley (71)		 Chris Seeby -> Steve Castle (21)
Nic McDonnell -> Greg Deacon (46)
Graeme Tomlinson -> Gary Wraight (54)
Yellow cards
None Greg Deacon (27)
Derek Brown (88)
Red cards
None None.
Match report
A relatively fast run into Essex to Park Lane, home of title favourites Canvey Island who have started the season slowly but will surely be in contention in May. Managed and funded by Jeff King, the Gulls have an impressive squad including former Saints Junior MacDougald, Ollie Berquez and Matt Jones. Last season's League top scorer with 43 goals, Lee Boylan starts tonight.

Cookie selected an unusual formation: Wilmot in goal; 4 at the back: Gledhill, Brown (C), Campbell and Castle; 5 in the middle: Graham, Wraight, Deacon, Glynn and Oakes; and up front: De Souza. On the bench: Tomlinson, McDonnell, Seeby and White.

Those who think that it's easy writing match reports should have a go at this one.

City started brightly for the first few minutes. Canvey won 4-0 scoring two goals in the first 20, another on the half hour, that's 3-0 at half time, and a fourth in the second half when they clearly took their foot/feet off the gas. All good, well-worked goals. Castle was replaced by Seeby after 15 minutes, the injured Deacon by McDonnell on the stroke of half-time, and Wraight by Tomlinson on the hour. The Saints had a better 2nd half early on and came close to troubling the scoreboard on two or three occasions. Wilmot was my Man of the Match keeping the score down to a relatively respectable figure with a number of fine saves throughout.

The Islanders played super football, quick on the ball, very fit, working hard for each other and finishing with precision. They were full value for a comprehensive win.

Against a very good side, City needed to be on top of their game tonight and weren't. A bright start needed an early goal to unsettle The 'Gulls, which didn't come. When we went one, and then two down, key players needed to step up the plate and they didn't. I don't know anything about football but the 'plan' to play a 3-5-1 formation at the start of the game when, as in every game obviously, the score was 0-0, seemed hardly appropriate at 2-0 down after 20 minutes. A goal to get back into the game early after the break when we switched to 4-4-2 didn't come. A lot of City heads dropped in the second half. It was very disappointing for the Travelling City Faithful.

It was a bad night against a very good side. Cookie will sort it out on the training ground.

Entertainment 3/10. Technical Merit 3/10. Atmosphere 6/10. Referee 6/10.

Match report by Awayday
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