Cray Wanderers 0-0 Canvey Island - We can't be too downbeat if we play like that, says Ian Jenkins

CRAY WANDERERS  0-0  CANVEY ISLAND
Ryman Premier League
Tuesday 8^th November 2011
Mike Green reports form Hayes Lane

IAN JENKINS was left a puzzled man as for the second time in four days, he witnessed his Cray Wanderers side dominate Essex opposition yet come away with a solitary point when three were certainly deserved. 
At the weekend it was Aveley who held Jenkins' side - tonight it was a toothless Canvey Island side who were a pale reflexion of pass sides to come to Kent from that part of the world.
 
Jenkins admitted after the game, "Tonight was exactly the same as Saturday.  Yes, we've dropped points but can I be disappointed with the boys if they play like that every week. 

“There have probably been four or five games this season when we've come into the dressing room after a game like that, but we can’t criticise as I really think that we played some great stuff tonight, and on another night one or two of the chances we create go in and its a completely different game! 

“If we play like that week in and week out, how can I have a go at them.  I know that we will get our rewards and so do the players, and all the time we've got that spirit we're going to be OK and hopefully will succeed in our goals."
 
And ironically it was only the goals that were lacking from a performance that had Canvey Island on their back foot throughout the night. 

In just the third minute, Sam Long did well down the right slipping the ball through to Louis Perkins who's drive flew wide. 

Then on the quarter hour, Chris Saunders was denied by a fine save from Canvey keeper James Russell low to the keeper’s right. 

Long then combined with Tommy Whitnell, to pull the ball back to Danny Phillips who's first time side foot flew narrowly wide. 

Then on the half hour, the home side had loud and seemingly justified penalty appeals waved away as Long burst into the box only to finish up face down on the greasy turf.  Referee Mr Dave Bushell waved away the appeals and as the visitors broke down field Jason Hallett beat the offside trap before being denied by a fabulous Andy Walker save as his curling shot seemed destined to the top corner.
 
The only surprise were that the sides went into the break goal less, and the second half began in a similar fashion with Cray almost totally dominant. 

Saunders took too long after being sent through one on one allowing Andrew West to get back and deny the Cray midfielder with a fabulous sliding tackle as Saunders seemed destined to score. 
 
The hard work which saw Canvey number nine Hallet work his socks off had very little support up front for Canvey, and almost opened the scoring on 55 minutes when a header from Danny Heale's deep cross which left Walker looking bemused face down in the box after being beaten to the cross.
 
That mini wake up call almost proved decisive as Michael Power perhaps should have scored when getting on the end of Whitnell’s nod down from Alan McLeod's deep cross.  Power seemed to have all the goal at his mercy but could only head straight at the keeper. 

The keeper’s luck was in once again on 80 minutes when Perkins low skidding shot almost squeezed through the keepers hands. 

Cray continually exposed room in the Canvey left position as full back Ashley Dumas endured a 90 minutes that won’t last long on his top ten performances of the season. 

Whitnell again exposed the full back on 87 minutes only to see Russell scramble the ball round his left post, and from the resulting corner Tyrone Sterling glanced a header that flew narrowly wide.
 
Canvey almost stole the points on 86 minutes when substitute Antonio Gonella fired a fierce low skidding drive across the face of goal, only for Walker to make a wonderful save which was made better by the fact that Walker was able to hold onto the ball in very trying conditions.
 
And so Cray were held again, which would have frustrated most managers, but Jenkins was philosophical about the result. 

He said: "I just want us to play football - if we play like that all the time how can we be down beat in the dressing room?  I said to the boys a little while ago, that’s how we want to play football and if we get the rewards then so be it, but if we don’t then we don’t.  The boys know where we are and they respect us.
 
“For as well as we played, I thought there were times when we didn’t work their keeper tonight.  But that said, Andy's (Walker) made a couple of cracking stops fro us late on.  That said, Shaggy (Michael Power) has come on late on and had the best chance with the header at the back stick which he really should have scored from, but the keeper to his credit made a super save". 

 
Cray Wanderers: Andy Walker, Sam Long, Allan McLeod (Jack Clark 71), Aaron Day, Mark Willy, Tyrone Sterling, Tommy Whitnell, Chris Saunders, Lewis Perkins, Danny Phillips, Leigh Bremner (Michael Power 64).
Subs:  Tony Dolby, Alex Bentley, Danny Young

Canvey Island:  James Russell, Andrew West, Ashley Dumas, Rob King, Steve Sheehan, John Easterford, Leon Gordon (Antonio Gonella 81), Matt Game, Jason Hallett (Kyle Asante 71), Danny Heale, John Curran.
Subs:  Mike Alaile, Danny Kerrigan, Andre Foster
 
 
Attendance: 175
Referee:  Mr Dave Bushell (Tottenham, N17)
Assistants: Mr Colin Mallows (Burgess Hill, West Sussex)  & Mr Michael Lowe (Horsham, West Sussex)