Canvey Island hosted League Two outfit Bradford City for their first pre-season fixture at the Brockwell Stadium. Bradford City Manager and former Canvey Island player Peter Taylor fielded two different starting XIs during this game, which included former Southend United player Lewis Hunt starting at right-back. Chris Moore returned to the heart of defence for Canvey, replacing the injured Steve Ward and there were starts for new striker Danny Heale, Greg Cohen and Kevin Dobinson.

Canvey started the brighter of the two teams as James Rowe volleyed the ball over the crossbar two minutes in having received a great cross from Andrew West. On the left, Ashley Dumas was enjoying getting forward and on four minutes his ball into space was slightly over-hit and collected easily by Lloyd Saxton in the Bantams’ goal. Two minutes later, again from down the left, great work by Greg Cohen linked up James Rowe as he hit the ball over the crossbar from ten yards.

Bradford used their speed to their advantage and on nine minutes Omar Daley found the ball at his feet but he couldn’t beat the last defender to try an effort on goal. Canvey responded well and on eleven minutes some lovely passing play found Danny Heale on the edge of the box, unfortunately for Heale he may have thought he was further from goal than he actually was as his soft pass through the defence was easily gathered by Saxton, whereas a more direct effort would’ve at the least been a shot on target.

Fourteen minutes into the half and James Rowe found himself bearing down on goal. Closing in on Saxton’s near-post his attempt to square the ball was cleared by Zesh Rehman. The resulting corner was cleared away, but only to Danny Heale who attempted to set up James Rowe, but the ball got stuck under Rowe’s feet as he was being leaned on by the Bradford defence. In reply, the Bantams countered and Chris Simm broke through Canvey’s ranks; however James Russell was on hand to block Simm’s shot and gather up the loose ball. This would be the first of many acrobatic saves Russell pulled off during the night in efforts deny Bradford.

On twenty-six minutes Jay Curran replaced Jon Edwards for Canvey. Worryingly for Edwards, a splint and stretcher were called for by Canvey’s Physio team but Edwards required neither and was eventually carried from the Canvey dugout at half-time.

James Hanson had Bradford’s best effort of the half so far when he again found himself slipping past the Canvey defence but he smashed his effort wide when it seemed easier to work the ‘Keeper. Omar Daley had a similar chance on thirty-six minutes but his effort from a narrow angle was hit high and eventually out for a throw-in.

A Canvey chance went begging on thirty-nine minutes with everyone failing to connect with a wicked cross from the right that dribbled out for a goal-kick. Two minutes later and the miss of the match went to Scott Neilson. Six yards from goal a cross from the left landed at his feet but he skied his effort into the Brockwell Stadium car-park. With half-time only seconds away, James Rowe almost converted for Canvey, but he was just a yard behind Greg Cohen’s cross as the ball eluded him.

Half-Time: Canvey Island 0-0 Bradford City

Canvey made only two changes at half-time compared to Bradford’s total face-lift with Jason Hallett replacing James Rowe and Stuart Batch on for Kevin Dobinson. The Bantams kept James Russell busy this half and on forty-nine minutes he pulled off a superb save from blank-range.

Just a minute later and Russell again denied Bradford when James O’Brien found himself one-on-one with only Russell to beat; the Canvey custodian deflected the ball with his trailing foot, although O’Brien was eventually ruled offside anyway.

On fifty-five minutes Stuart Batch’s volley from twenty yards narrowly curved away from goal and past the post, whilst up the other end two minutes later James Russell pulled off a superb double block, the second, one-handed to deny a certain goal.

As we almost approached the hour mark from a Cohen corner, both Goalkeeper and ball were bundled over the line. From the resulting quick free-kick the ball was intercepted by Cohen, who rounded a defender before squaring calmly to Jason Hallet. Hallett smashed the ball home from close range to put Canvey in front heading into the final half an hour.

Robbie King almost doubled Canvey’s lead when his header from another Cohen corner had to be tipped onto the bar. The follow-up corner was cleared to Andrew West on the edge of the penalty area, who had his volley parried.

With fifteen minutes remaining a flurry of substitutes were made by Canvey Manager John Batch. Danny Heale and Chris Moore were replaced by Ellis Skidmore and Rob Owen respectively and again on eighty-two minutes, Andrew West was replaced by Remi Sutton.

In the final five minutes, Bradford eventually rose to Canvey’s level when, as expected, full-time fitness started to show through. On eighty-seven minutes Gareth Evans had a shot tipped over the bar by Russell and the resulting corner flew narrowly past the post, but Canvey held on to complete their second victory in as many games.

Bradford City will continue their tour of Southern England with one win and one loss on the record books, whereas Canvey will face their toughest challenge yet when they go head to head with Dutch Eirdivisie Champions, FC Twente this Saturday at the Brockwell Stadium.

Full-Time: Canvey Island 1-0 Bradford City