Canvey Island move into the play-off as they hold off a resolute Brentwood Town with a 1-0 victory, at the Frost Financial Stadium.
Tambeson Eyong with the vital goal in the match as he bundled the ball home from close range in the second half, as Canvey extend their run to four straight wins.
Dean Holdsworth went with an unchanged starting lineup from their midweek victory over Needham Market.
Brentwood showed their attacking threat early on, through a set piece as Mitch Hahn’s corner was met by Captain Martyn Stokes, which went just wide.
Hahn again with a free-kick this time which found Stokes once again at the far post and should have scored from inside the six-yard box but headed over.
Canvey then almost made Brentwood rue their missed chance as Marlon Agyakwa had the ball out wide on the edge of the box and went to dink Martyn Guest but he tipped it over the bar from safety.
Hahn’s corner again caused the Canvey defence problems as Paul Goodacre this time met the cross which was palmed away for a corner by Conor Gough.
‘The Blues’ dominated in the air, especially from corners with another great chance as O’Rawes’ bullet header was parried away again by Gough.
In the second half, ‘The Gulls’ shot out the blocks and nearly took the lead through Dan Gilchrist as he managed to turn Stokes and his low shot went just wide.
Just after the hour mark, Guest gifted Canvey a great opportunity as a dangerous ball across the box was pounced on by Guest. He then spilled the ball and Harrison Chatting could not poke it in as O’Rawe blocked the shot on the line and Stokes evaded further danger with the clearance.
Canvey took the lead 67 minutes in as Glenn Poole’s free-kick was not dealt with by the Brentwood defence and was scrambled in by Eyong from close range, for his fourth goal of the season.
Brentwood nearly grabbed an equaliser as Nicky Symons clipped a ball for Jamie Guy to burst into the box and fired a shot at Gough which squirmed through his legs but was cleared off the line.
Canvey could have sealed it with four minutes to go as Pooles’ corner was met by Captain Richard Halle but the header went just over.
Brentwood looked for a late leveller as they pilled bodies forward as substitutes Sam Lechmere and Jordan Holdsworth entered the frame but could not create one final clear-cut chance, as Brentwood left empty handed.
Canvey Island Lineup: 1 Conor Gough, 2 Steve Sheehan, 3 Ashley Dumas, 4 Tambeson Eyong, 5 Richard Halle ©, 6 Lawrence Yiga, 7 Marlon Agyakwa (58), 8 Glenn Poole, 9 Dan Gilchrist (90), 10 Martin Touhy, 11 Harrison Chatting
Substitutes: 12 Jake Pitty (90), 14 Omar Lawson, 15 Ozzy Adeniji (58) (90+2), 16 Sean Bonnett-Johnson (90+2), 17 Freddie Warren
Brentwood Town Lineup: 1 Martyn Guest, 2 Leon Gordon, 3 Paul Goodacre (75), 4 Nicky Symons, 5 Ryan O’Rawe, 6 Martyn Stokes ©, 7 Mitch Hahn, 8 Shad Ngandu, 9 Liam Hope (84), 10 Jamie Guy, 11 Leon Fisher (84)
Substitutes: 12 Tom Richardson, 14 Daryl Robson, 15 Phillip Anderson (75), 16 Sam Lechmere (84), 17 Jordan Holdsworth (84)
Attendance: 310
Short Interview with Dean Holdsworth:
