Canvey Island 3-0 Leatherhead

(Tuohy ‘12(p), ’38, ‘83)

From the Frost Financial Stadium

Ryman Premier League

By Dan Thurogood

A HAT-TRICK from Martin Touhy sent Canvey Island on their way to a first win of the season against Leatherhead.

A penalty early on, a header just before the break and a tap in rounded off a great day for Danny Heale’s side.

And the Gulls boss was delighted with his team’s response to Tuesday night’s defeat against Leiston, in which two injury-time goals saw them lose.

“I’m very pleased to get the first win of the season to get that monkey off our backs” he said. “The wind was horrendous in some parts of the match but I felt we dealt well.

“We won the toss and got the wind with us in the first-half and took advantage of that. What happened in the first two matches with conceding late goals could always have played on the players’ minds but we’ve got a good all-round unit and I’m delighted to get the clean sheet as well.”

In the first-half the home side dominated proceedings but were lacking that cutting edge. The first real chance of the match fell to Marlon Agyakwa. Under-18 Hungary international Sandor Murai held the ball up well before playing in the winger, who took a touch but Joe Taylor saved smartly with his feet.

Leatherhead’s only real chance of the first half came to Tom Adeloye. He cut in from the right and stung the palms of goalkeeper Conor Gough.

The pressure finally took its toll as Jack Simmons was tripped by Paul Semakula in the box and Touhy duly converted the spot kick into the bottom left hand corner giving Taylor no chance.

Just before the break the forward added his second. Harrison Chatting used the wind to his advantage to send in a swirling corner. Touhy rose highest at the back post to power home and give Danny Heale’s men a two goal advantage.

In the second-half, aided by the wind, Leatherhead started to come back into the match. Kiernan Hughes-Mason raced in behind the Gulls defence but Gough parried the ball away across the box. Adeloye tried to get onto the rebound but the ball just ran away from the forward.

Leatherhead nearly pulled one back just after with Guiseppe Sole’s effort being tipped onto the post by Gough, who also kept out Hughes-Mason’s rebound.

With just a few minutes remaining Tuohy completed his hat-trick. A ball played low across the box found Gough at the back post and he tapped home to complete a convincing win for the home side.

Canvey boss Heale added: “Touhy’s a real goal scorer and his confidence will only grow following his goals.”

Canvey Island: Gough, Morrison, Dumas, Chatting, O’Rawe, Sheehan, Simmons (May), O’Leary, Murai (Sykes), Tuohy, Agyakwa