Match Report (archived)
Match reports 2005/6: 1st XV | Stacks | Gnus
1st Team Match Report - 29th April 2006
Score: 31 - 18
Canvey Island 's dreams of promotion to the London leagues were realised on Saturday after a pulsating play-off final against Mersea Island , which needed to go into extra time to be resolved. Both sides prior to the kick off boasted proud unbeaten records and were both keen to end their seasons on a high. The match was absorbing, packed with incidents and played in front of a very large crowd in a cup like atmosphere.
Mersea started the match the stronger of the two sides, dominating the set-piece play and making good ground in open play. A penalty gave Mersea a deserved early lead but Canvey hit back with an equalising penalty from their first attack into the Mersea half, courtesy of the boot of Brett Smith.
Mersea then attacked again, and came close to extending the lead but was held up over the line. Canvey were under pressure and only minutes later, the Mersea lock forward barraged his way over for a try. The attempted conversion was wide (score 3-8).
Canvey who battled hard throughout the whole match, with a never say die mentality responded with a well taken, long distance drop goal by full-back Dave Dennis (score 6-8).
Mersea's forwards still had the upper hand and managed to stretch their lead to 13-6 when their flanker was driven over in the corner for a second try.
Canvey on the odd attack looked threatening in the three-quarters, and knew that would be where their advantage would lay. Canvey's forwards tried to get a foothold on the game, and as they did Mersea used their experience to bring a halt to proceedings, where ever possible. This resulted in the visitors hooker being sin-binned just before half-time.
Some passionate words were spoken during the half time interval, as Canvey vowed not to go down without a fight. The early part of the second half started to get niggly, with a few off the ball incidents and with Canvey adapting to Mersea's style of play, the home side began to impose themselves on the game. Canvey took their opportunity to strike back with the player advantage and drove from outside the 22 with a textbook rolling maul, allowing loosehead Lee Brumwell to touch down for an unconverted try (score 11-13).
With only two points separating the two sides, everything was to play for. As the intensity of the game grew, so did the list of players names in the referees notepad. As Mersea's sinbinned player returned, Canvey lost scrum half Tony Gould, causing Coach Carl Wakefield to reshuffle his pack. The return of the sin-binned player lifted Mersea and they briefly played the kind of rugby that has seen them remain unbeaten since December. A few good half breaks by their back row division were thwarted before Mersea's No.8 powered his way through to touch down for the vital score and extend the lead to 18-11.
With a number of stoppages the second half unfolded, with Gould returning to the pitch, and more ill discipline leading to Mersea losing another forward. The half was hard fought with Canvey refusing to take defeat. The injuries began to mount up too for the homeside and the backline personnel changed again. Despite the changes it was still where Canvey looked most dangerous.
With the 80mins almost up, Mersea supporters were half celebrating, whilst some Canvey supporters went to drown their sorrows in the clubhouse, when the game took a dramatic turnaround. Canvey's backs received some quick ball, after some fine work by replacement prop Simon King. The ball out wide found fullback Dennis in his own half, who put in a grubba kick behind the up rushing defence. Centre Alex Breading looped round and collected the kick that bounced up kindly. Mersea's three-quarters were disposed off and the Canvey centre tore along the touchline, urged on by a passionate crowd, to score under the posts. The 80th minute try was converted (score 18-18) and the game went to extra time. The Home side were jubilant, and the visitors were shell shocked!
Both sides had given their all for the 80 minutes and they now faced another 20 minutes of extra time. The killer score in the last minute of normal play lifted the Canvey players and supporters, and deflated the Mersea players who were in touching distance of victory. What Canvey's forwards lack in size, they certainly made up for in fitness, and it was now that it showed. They could now provide the right kind of base to give the backs some quality ball.
Early in the first half of extra time, Canvey got a try, when the ball flowed through some neat sets of hands, allowing Dave Dennis to attack the corner. His offload in the tackle allowed first team newcomer, winger Simon Rose to cut in and overpower the Mersea covering tacklers, to score his first and most important of the season (score 23-18). Mersea heads went down, Canvey became rampant and the visitors became frustrated. Another sin-binning was to follow for Mersea, and Canvey took full advantage (lesson learned on being clinical vs. Rochford).
Canvey sealed victory with a further score, when the ball made its away along the backline finding James Saunders in the midfield. His offload found fullback Dennis joining the line, who finished off the move in the corner (score 28-18). Another attack ensued, and the visitors had no choice other than to give another penalty away. Smith promptly stepped up, and kicked successfully. The referee blew the final whistle and the game ended 31-18 to Canvey.
The final scoreline does not perhaps show what a desperately hard fought encounter this game was. Mersea players can be extremely proud of their achievements this season, and are as good as any side Canvey have played all year. Canvey Island battled hard to the bitter end, cheered on by loyal support, and their amazing 2 year home unbeaten record stays in tact. 2 Promotions, 2 Cup Finals all inside 2 years! All summed up in a game on Saturday that had everything.
Man of the match: ?
