CANVEY Island manager Danny Heale is looking to relive the magic of 2012 when they take on Colchester United in the Essex Senior Cup tonight.

Heale started up front in the Essex Senior Cup final against the U’s at Thurrock’s Ship Lane on that night, with a goal from Rob King enough to see them claim their first win in the competition since 2002.

But almost four years later, Heale will leading from the side lines as he aims to guide Canvey into the quarter-finals.

And he says he wants history to repeat itself tomorrow, against the side from League One.

“We had a good side back then and got a great result against a very strong Colchester team (featuring the likes of John-Joe O’Toole and Mark Cousins),” said Heale. “They played some first-team players and every one of our players put in a nine out of ten performance that night.

“My dad had won it so to follow in his footsteps and win it was great for me and the family. So we obviously want to win this match and then do our best to win the competition.”

Colchester are expected to field a youthful side for the encounter, although they were in formidable form in the previous round, beating AFC Hornchurch 8-0, with Macauley Bonne netting a hat-trick.

However, the U’s parted company with manager Tony Humes last week and were comprehensively beaten 5-1 by Burton Albion in the league just days later.

And Heale says he wants his players to make the most of the opportunity.

“We are really looking forward to it,” he said. “We don’t know what sort of side they will put out and with their management situation as it is, it makes it quite difficult to prepare as we don’t know what they are thinking.

“I watched them in pre-season and obviously they are a good side that play at a good level so we will need to be on top of our game.”

Canvey beat Leatherhead 3-1 on Saturday to return to the play-off hunt in the Ryman Premier League, their first in five weeks in the division, with Heale backing his side to continue picking up points as the games keep coming over a busy Christmas period.

“The mood in the camp is good but it has been for a while now and that is good to see,” he said. “A win on Saturday has helped with morale ahead of a busy Christmas schedule and we looked lively and created plenty of chances.

“We are in a good place and if we keep picking up points this month we will be a strong position come the start of the new year.”

Colchester are set to field several first-team regulars including Tosin Olufemi, Tom Lapslie, Jack Curtis and Bonne.

The U’s joint interim first-team manager John McGreal said: “It’ll be a big test for our boys.”