After a splendid performance at Cray Wanderers in midweek which we got no reward for, Wingate & Finchley were in optimistic mood for this match against our old friends Canvey Island. Weather was as a spring day with a slight chill in the air. Pitch as per usual was perfect. All the ingredients for a footballing feast. The first 20 minutes Canvey Island dominated and played some fine football, one could see why they are challenging for a play off place. Wingate & Finchley were having trouble breaking out of their own half. Gavin King was called into action early on, after 8 minutes saving well from a long shot. On 15 minutes another good break from Canvey Island resulting in a fine cross, but header from close range goes over the bar. On 24 minutes on one of the rare occasions that Wingate & Finchley managed to go forward, a good run from Andy Edmunds, his cross was handled in the area but not seen by either the referee or his assistant. On 25 minutes Canvey Island were finally rewarded for all their early pressure. A free kick awarded just outside the area was blocked by the wall, ball then was like a pinball in the area, Wingate & Finchley failing to clear and the ball after a long goalmouth scramble landed to Craig Davidson who shot in from close range to put Canvey Island 1-0 up. This immediately injected life into Wingate & Finchley and 3 minutes later they were awarded a free kick about 25 yards out. Danny Berg touched the ball to Joe o' Brien and his shot beat the diving Canvey Island keeper and entered the corner of the net to put Wingate & Finchley level. Wingate & Finchley now begun to take control of the game. On 35 minutes, a corner from Wingate & Finchley was only half cleared and from the resulting cros Ahmet Rifat got his foot to the ball and his lob come shot just goes over. A minute later another corner to Wingate & Finchley was again only half cleared the ball arriving to David Alllen, but his shot goes well over the bar. On 37 mins with Wingate & Finchley now in total control of the game , attack again, and after some fine work from Chima Eberendu, he finds Andy Edmunds who's cross come shot is well saved by James Russell in the Canvey Island goal. In the space of the next 8 minutes the game changed course dramatically. After going close 3 times in as many minutes, the 3rd time resulting in a fine blocked save by Gavin King, Canvey Island scored twice in as many minutes. In the 43rd minute Canvey won a free kick on the left and from the resulting cross John Curran header finds the net to put Canvey Island 2-1 up. A minute later a mistake by David Allen in midfield led to John Curran breaking clear and his powerful rising shot beats Gavin King in the Wingate & Finchley goal to put Canvey Island 3-1 up. In the final minute of the half Wingate & Finchley win a free kick just outside the Canvey Island area. Once again the ball is touched to Joe o' Brien, but this time Joe's shot goes well over the bar. HALF TIME: WINGATE & FINCHLEY 1 CANVEY ISLAND 3 Two half time substitutions by Wingate & Finchley, Tashan Bradshaw-Brown on for Danny Berg and our new signing Bernard Collignon on for Chima Eberendu. Wingate & Finchley started the half quicker and within 3 minutes of the restart a clear handball by a Canvey Island defender in the area was again missed by the referee and his assistant. The game picked up pace moving from end to end but with no clear cut chances being made by either side. On 64 minutes a fine move by Wingate & Finchley ended up with the ball finding Bernard Collignon but his shot is unfortunately dragged wide of the goal. In the 72nd minute a free kick to Canvey Island results in the shot hitting the post and the ball is cleared to safety by the Wingate & Finchley defence. On 75 minutes Wingate & Finchley made their 3rd and final substitution in an attempt to rescue something from this game, Jerome Boyce replacing Marc Weatherstone. Within a minute Wingate & Finchley were back in the game. A fine ball by Joe o' Brien finds Tashan free on goal and his fine shot finds the net for Wingate & Finchley's second goal. Wingate & Finchley poured forward and on 77 minutes Tashan is found again in almost the identicle position to the one he had scored from a minute earlier, but this time his rushed shot goes wide of the goal. Five minutes from time a fine cross come shot from James Gershfield just goes over the bar. Wingate & Finchley continued to put pressure on the Canvey Island goal and in the final minute Tashan is found on the right and his fine cross finds Andy Edmunds who's shot goes wide. Final whistle goes, once again a battling performance by Wingate & Finchley without any reward. FINAL SCORE: WINGATE & FINCHLEY 2 CANVEY ISLAND 3 Joe o'Brien 27 mins Craig Davidson 25 mins Tashan Bradshaw-Brown 76 mins John Curran 43 mins John Curran 44 mins WINGATE & FINCHLEY TEAM 1) GAVIN KING 2) MARC WEATHERSTONE (JEROME BOYCE 75 MINS) 3) KIERAN STREET 4) AHMET RIFAT 5) BILLY AMATEIFIO 6) DAVID ALLEN 7) JAMES GERSHFIELD 8) DANIEL BERG (TASHAN BRADSHAW-BROWN 45 MINS) 9) CHIMA EBERENDU (BERNARD COLLIGNON 45 MINS) 10) JOE O'BRIEN 11) ANDREW EDMUNDS SUBSTITUTES 12) AHMEDOU SEYE 14) JEROME BOYCE 15) TASHAN BRADSHAW-BROWN 16) BERNARD COLLIGNON 17) DANIEL CLARKE NEXT MATCH AWAY TO WARE ON SATURDAY 23/02/08. KICK OFF 3.00PM