RYMAN PREMIER: Canvey Island soccer boss John Batch insists there was nothing to learn from Tuesday night’s 4-0 home defeat by relegation-threatened Kent side, Margate.

The match was played in near gale force winds and driving rain and was abandoned after 83 minutes when a power failure on the island put the Park Lane floodlights out.

Much of Canvey Island was plunged into darkness.

It’s expected that the league will rule that the result stands but Batch insisted: “In my opinion playing the game was a farce.

“The wind made it impossible for any football to be played and there’s nothing you can reflect on about what happened out there.

“If the league decide the result stands that’s okay by me, but the conditions were diabolical. Some matches were postponed and that should have happened here.

“Goal-kicks into the wind were struggling to get out of the area let alone reach the halfway line and they just bombed in long-throws with the wind right into the area from all areas. It was a complete joke and no kind of spectacle for the fans.”

Tomorrow at home to Wealdstone Gulls will be without experienced midfield man Kevin Dobinson due to suspension while Jon Edwards is likely to be unavailable due to a teaching congress.

Defender Ryan Oliva has left the club to pursue regular first team football.

Gulls will be keen to get back on track tomorrow to keep their outside play-off hopes alive and to prepare for Tuesday’s eagerly-awaited visit to Essex rivals Billericay Town.