CANVEY Island were able to keep the pressure on the other Isthmian North promotion chasers by claiming a 4-1 win over Witham Town.

Mitch Gilbey and Ryan Charles put Danny Heale’s side into a commanding position in the first half, while Martin Tuohy climbed off the bench to notch Gulls’ third of the afternoon.

Chinedu Osadebe thought he had given Witham hope late on, but Ryan Melaugh added to Canvey’s tally less than 60 seconds later at the Frost Hire Stadium.

Henry Newcombe needed to be at his best to tip a speculative Elliott Ronto effort over the crossbar with 10 minutes on the clock.

Visiting goalkeeper Bobby Mason’s attempted clearance was blocked by George Sykes but the striker, after pouncing on the loose ball, dragged his low strike just wide of the target.

And the Canvey pressure continued as Charles’ attempt, on the stretch, just cleared the crossbar.

Gulls opened the scoring just before the half hour mark, as Sykes pounced on a mistake from Sam Owusu before playing a dangerous, low cross into the Witham danger zone. The away side struggled to clear the danger and Gilbey was on hand to slot home his 16th goal of the season.

Just seven minutes later, Canvey doubled their lead.

Sykes left Witham central defender Tyler Corlett for dead and sent the ball across the face of goal for Charles to tap home from close range against his former club.

Witham came close to halving the deficit just before the hour mark, but Correy Davidson could only find the side-netting following Owusu’s dangerous cross.

Newcombe beat Davidson to a Shamido Pedulu through ball after Witham went on the counter-attack in search of a goal to get them back into the game.

Canvey nearly put the game out of Witham’s reach when Sykes volleyed Charles’ cross goalwards, but Mason palmed the strike around the post.

Substitute Tuohy forced Mason into another fine save after cutting inside Jack Kemsley, while the custodian repelled Tuohy once again from the resulting corner.

With the game creeping into the final five minutes, Tuohy was able to capitalise on Mason only being able to parry away Charles’ shot from the edge of the penalty area and found the back of the net.

Osadebe grabbed a consolation for Witham late on, but Melaugh completed the scoring less than 60 seconds later.

Canvey Island: Newcombe, Pitty, Dumas, Craddock (Melaugh 79), Allen (Warren 60), Sheehan, Merrifield, Collins, Sykes, Gilbey (Tuohy 63), Charles