Canvey Island 1 Sutton United 2

They had an early scare when Leon Gordon struck a volley on the turn that just grazed the post on its way wide, although the home side protested that Kevin Scriven, outstanding in goal for Sutton, had got a touch to keep the ball out.

For a while, a Sutton side picked for its pace going forward struggled to come to terms with the high bounce and the difficulty in getting the ball under control.

However, United went in front in the 19th minute. Charlie Taylor did well to head a free kick in to the path of Sonny Cobbs, who took advantage of the defence’s slowness to send a well controlled volley across goalkeeper James Russell into the far corner of the net.

They almost got a second seven minutes later after Danny Phillips was tripped 25 yards out by home skipper Richard Halle, whose luck in not being booked was magnified when he did pick up a yellow card later in the game.

Bradley Woods-Garness drilled in a low free kick that reared up in front of Russell, who did well to push it high enough to clear the bar.

Just before half time, Scriven made a fine save from substitute John Curran’s fierce volley from the corner of the penalty area.

But, seven minutes after the break, the Sutton keeper was helpless as an unmarked Halle climbed high to head firmly in to the net from Greg Cohen’s corner.

With Canvey having what benefit there was of the wind it looked as though Sutton were set for a difficult time.

But, within five minutes, they had regained the lead as their attacking pace paid dividends.

Taylor was put through on the right touch line and sent in a delightful early cross that was met at full stretch by the onrushing Anthony Joseph.

Although Russell parried the shot, Joseph reacted quickly and strongly to force the rebound past the keeper and in to the empty net.

Unoted could have added to the lead as an Alan Pouton corner was headed off the line by Andrew West just as it threatened to drift in to the net.

They should have done when Joseph, in a similar position to Taylor’s for the goal, matched the quality of his strike partner’s cross only for Woods-Garness to mis-hit his shot wide of the post with just Russell to beat.

The home side then introduced leading scorer James Rowe and, within three minutes, he had dispossessed Woods-Garness before rolling the ball back for Gordon, whose shot was only just wide of the far post.

Halle, whose selection as the home team’s man of the match may have raised eyebrows, not least those of Gordon, a lively threat to the Sutton defence throughout the afternoon, was then entitled to feel doubly lucky as he picked up an overdue yellow card for kicking the ball at a grounded Phillips, an offence that some referees would have thought worthy of a red card on its own.

With United repeatedly caught offside as they looked to catch the home team on the break they found themselves under more pressure than necessary during the closing stages, but an impressive defence, in which James Hawes caught the eye in a slightly unfamiliar left back role, held firm, helped by some poor delivery from the home side when they did find themselves in a position of threat.

On the one occasion that they were breached, in the dying seconds, Scriven continued to play his part with a fine save to his left from Cohen with Sutton able to scramble the rebound away just before referee Elliot Kaye blew the final whistle.

Canvey Island: J Russell, T Mustafa, A West (sub J Edwards 76), F Everett, C Moore, R Halle, G Fanibuyan (sub J Rowe 64), R King, J Hallett (sub J Curran 22), L Gordon, G Cohen. Subs n/u C Davidson, B Patten. Goal: Halle (52). Booked: Halle (72-persistent infringement), Edwards (78-deliberate handball).

Sutton: K Scriven, B Hawes, J Hawes, J Goodliffe, K El-Salahi, S Cobbs, A Joseph (sub C Dobson 80), A Pouton (sub S McKimm 80), C Taylor, D Phillips, B Woods-Garness (sub S Watts 68). Subs n/u D Harding, J Gold. Goals: Cobbs (19), Joseph (57). Booked: Cobbs (32-foul), Phillips (51-foul).

Referee: E Kaye (Hainault)