Canvey Island 4-1 Kingstonian
K'S CAST OUT ON THE ISLAND

As the only Ryman League Division One team to have made it to the first round proper of the FA Trophy, Kingstonian can't be wholly dissappointed with their run. However, the way in which departure was delivered could hardly have been the ideal of any K's player or fan.

Kingstonian hadn't played Canvey Island since the 03/04 season, when Canvey gained promotion from the Ryman Premier. In that season K's suffered two defeats at the hands of the Essex side with an aggregate score of 8-2 over the two league games. This Saturday's FA Trophy reunion produced exactly half that score, with K's knocked out by four goals to one.

K's played a conventional 4-4-2, with Tony Reid and Kenny Ojukwa starting up front. Richard Taylor was dropped to the bench as Tommy Moorhouse was favoured alongside captain Julian Sills, and Mark Torcaso was picked for keeping duties.

The first half contained four of the five goals, but this would not have seemed likely from the lacklustre way in which both teams began the match. Canvey had a chance ten minutes in from a free kick, which Torcaso tipped over the bar. Kingston controlled the ball well early on in the half and had the most of the position, but couldn't carve out any chances and they never looked likely to score.

It was Canvey who broke the deadlock on the 26th minute. A well taken free kick from Lee Boylan was blasted along the floor past the wall into the bottom right corner. Torcaso dived, but was unable to get his fingers onto the well placed shot.

Just a couple of minutes after the first goal Canvey made it two. Jeff Minton broke down the right hand side of the box, before tapping a low ball across the face of goal to Jason Hallett who was waiting at the far post to tap the ball into the corner.

Kingstonian's best chance of the half came from an Mazin Ahmad cross Tony Reid rose well to the ball but was unable to make the target. Three minutes from half time Canvey extended their advantage with Hallett's second. Again on the right hand side of the box, this time Torcaso seemed wary that he'd expected the shot last time and got the cross. Instead this time he was expecting the cross and got a shot. The powerful strike along the ground nestled perfectly into the opposite corner, providing the goal which probably sealed Kingstonian's exit.

Unfortunately, Torcaso was not the only one to mistake the shot for a cross, and Lee Boylan ran in to try another close range tap in. He collided with the post and was stretchered off and taken to hospital. Later reports confirmed he had swallowed his tongue and is now recovering well.

Photo: kingstonian.net

After a long break waiting for Boylan to be stretchered off, the game restarted with just a couple of minutes left in the half. Kingstonian pulled back a goal in stoppage time, courtesy of an Ahmad free kick. The ball was curled right into the box and appeared to bounce off Canvey defender Stuart Bimson into the back of the net, but the goal was given to Ahmad.

Photo: kingstonian.net

The second half provided little spectacle, with both sides seemingly resigned to the half time scoreline. An excellent save from Torcaso prevented it from being four ten minutes in. John Kennedy volleyed from the edge of the area and a good dive from the K's keeper pushed the ball wide.

Kingstonian had a lot of the ball but were unable to really challenge Potter. The second half trundled on until the 89th minute when Canvey put the lid on the match with a fourth goal. Dwain Clarke broke quickly and put the ball coolly into the back of the net for his first goal for Canvey.

Despite the demoralising means of departure, Kingstonian can still be pleased with their Trophy run. Although largely outclassed by the higher ranked Canvey, the football Kingstonian produced in the qualifying rounds to get there, if reproduced, should certainly stand them in good stead in the league.