Canvey Island 1-2 Kingstonian
ISLANDERS FIND THEMSELVES OUT AT SEA

Simon Huckle and Matt Gray both turned poacher and provider for a second weekend away day win on the coast as the Gulls of Canvey Island found their wings clipped.

Continuing Ks' lazarene revival Gray found the back of the net when Huckle rescued a loose ball off a corner to centre it back in the 26th minute. Then, late in the second half, Huckle headed in the winning goal, after the Islanders equalised on the hour, from Gray's free kick.

With new signing John Fletcher blooded, and recent signing Ashlee Jones on the bench as cover for Luke Garrard, Kingstonian began brightly with Carl Wilson-Denis unable to latch onto a pass by Dean Lodge and a Bobby Traynor shot deflected out. However Canvey were not out on the beach as a corner from Greg Cotton was headed away.

Their defence continued not too be breached as Ks pushed forward and Huckle was denied twice in only the 11th minute as first Frank Everett and then another defender cleared the ball away. Then James Russell, unsighted, denied Traynor from Gray's corner on the right.

At the other end Fletcher saved Garrard's blushes after he picked up a loose ball off him and kicked away from Jon Edwards shot. Again though the away side pushed up and the defence denied Huckle as he failed to control Wilson-Denis' cross in.

However it was kiss-me-quick hats and rock within minutes as Gray picked up Huckle's cross back into the area and shot beyond Russell. It could have been more soon afterwards but Huckle could head only onto the bar from close range. Off the rebound Wilson-Denis went wide.

The Islanders stuck themselves into the task of keeping their visitors out and it was not until the second half when either goal was threatened. In-between an injured Mo Harkin left the pitch at the break to be replaced by Des Boateng.

On the hour Rowe beat a well-crafted offside trap and shot beyond Garrard. Greg Cotton's pass foxing the back four.

Ks almost regained the lead from the kick off but Gray's shot was undone by Russell and then a shot from Lodge was deflected away. Again Lodge was denied by another wayward shot and Wilson-Denis, having turned over Russell, in goal, shot wide.

However in the 78th minute provider Huckle became scorer after he headed in from Gray. Then Canvey's recent signing Jason Hallet found himself in a similar position but was only able to head over the bar. Another header from here went wide of the mark. Another header, this time from substitute Rob King went over too. Still the Gulls began to press and Hallet shot wide under pressure from Max Hustwick and then Rowe went wide.

In injury time a brave dive from Russell saw Boateng denied after Lodge broke away from the back.

A useful win has seen Kingstonian pull away from the early relegation candidates and proved that the influx of players has rescued the early season nightmare.